Mysteries Of A FoxChild
by Xx-Synthetic-Cyanide-xX
Summary: COMPLETE! Kurai Sohma is the wretched outcast of the family, cursed with a Kitsune spirit. When he finally escapes from Akito's prison will he find salvation and love? Rated M for violence and sexual themes. TohruXOC
1. Prologue

**(Hello everyone, this little story has been playing on my mind for a few days so I decided to write it. It is about another member of the Sohma family more cursed than the rest. Discover the reasons for his torment and isolation along the way. Kurai Sohma will find out what it is like to try to be normal, to fit in with humans and to feel emotions of love)**

Prologue

Every day was the exact replica of the last, at the same time and in the same place he would call, to ensure everything was in working order, however today was different. No-one knew it would be but it was significantly different. As Hatori walked through the Sohma house, down the narrow corridors he had a gut instinct that his usual routine would be shattered into pieces. When he spoke to the broken boy yesterday he had spoken of leaving this place, that he would be allowed his freedom, a normal life. Hatori had dismissed it, after all this boy needed regular checkups from him due to his condition. He was different to the others, a lot **different**. As Hatori neared the only room in this corridor he felt himself begin to get nervous. He had no idea why but it was instinct. As he slowly opened the door he looked inside the dark room. The walls echoed its emptiness, the solitude, the sheer madness that would follow. He stepped inside looking for its resident. For the broken boy. His eyes scanned every inch of the room until they focused on the only window in the room. It had been smashed and the inhabitant had fled. This would be a terrible matter, Akito would not be pleased. Hatori made it his priority to alert the head of the family about this incident and hastily left the room. As he rushed out of the room he wondered about what words he would say, would he just merely foretell the tale of events? That the boy had sworn he would escape, to lead a normal life, to be classed equal just like everyone else? This was the biggest secret the Sohma's held, locked away, so no-one could ever see. Some of the family were unaware of this boys existence. As Hatori neared the room Akito was in he paused. He wondered what Akito would do, would he get mad? Would he lash out at him once more? As he opened the door those thoughts were pushed to one side.

Akito sat at the open window, feeding a small sparrow, blissfully unaware of the fact his prisoner had escaped into the big wide world.

"Akito-" Hatori started, getting his attention. He turned his attention to Hatori, ignoring the innocent bird that was perched on his finger;

"Ah, Hatori. How are things?" Hatori looked away, it would be hard to tell this tale without anger consuming.

"The boy, he has escaped the room" Akito's eyes widened as immediately the bird took flight and escaped out of the window. He stood up, rage consuming his fragile being as he started to shout;

"How is that even possible! He was locked up, there is no way he could of escaped!"

"He smashed the window-" Hatori informed, wondering about what plan Akito would have concerning this issue. He stood still, his eyes wild in rage. This was not part of the plan, no-one was ever meant to cast their eyes on the boy, he was not normal, he was different;

"We must retrieve him immediately, alert the rest of the family Hatori-" Akito replied, now walking over to the window, his dark eyes gazing out at the glorious scenery. He started to laugh hysterically. Hatori watched, this was going to end badly.

"I shall inform Shigure and the others-" He mumbled, trying to ignore the devilish laugh that echoed throughout the room. Akito turned his wild eyes to Hatori as he retorted;

"Once we find him, I'll make sure he NEVER leaves again!"

**(What do you think will happen? Who is the mystery boy and why is he locked up? Will he ever lead a normal life? Read and review pleeeaaase! Thanks!)**


	2. The Midnight Visitor

**(Everyone hates foxes, apart from one, Tohru. Why is everyone against foxes? Is Tohru the only one who doesn't? And Will Kurai know this? Find out!)**

**Chapter One: The Midnight Visitor**

"This is the third time this week-" Tohru said, sighing as her azure eyes glazed over the torn open rubbish bags, strewn all over the garden. Yuki stood beside her, not quite knowing what to say about this situation. This had only started happening a few days ago, and every night so far the bags Tohru put outside into the garden would be torn to pieces. It was obviously an animals doing.

"Maybe it is some sort of animal?" Yuki queried, looking thoughtful. He wondered what kind of animal would do this on a regular basis. Tohru's face was scarred with sadness, it took her a lot of time to clean up the mess that this animal had left behind every night. It was a tedious chore.

"I wonder why it tears the bags to pieces?" she asked, looking up at Yuki. The moonlight shining down on him, illuminating him enough for her to perceive him. Yuki shrugged, it was getting late now and it was soon time for them to retire to bed as they had school in the morning.

"Well, I have no idea. I'll talk to Shigure about it tomorrow Ms. Honda. How about you get some rest now? We have got a big day tomorrow" Tohru nodded and smiled;

"I know, I am so excited! We get to make our own film trailer. I still don't know what I want to do yet-" Her face transformed from happy to sorrow, as she contemplated ideas. Yuki smiled;

"I suggest you rest and think about it in the morning" She weakly nodded, it was the best option, sleep would be beneficial. She took one last look at the rubbish scattered all over the lawn and sighed;

"Okay Yuki, I'll head off to bed now then. Goodnight"

"Goodnight Ms. Honda" She hastily left the garden and headed up to her room as Yuki continued to watch over the garden. His dark eyes narrowed. He had an idea of what had caused this, talking to Kyo might clear things up. Luckily for Yuki, Kyo was still awake, he was on the roof as usual. It was time to talk about this issue and Yuki decided now was the best time.

* * *

><p>He left the garden to find the orange haired boy. This matter was serious, it concerned every one of them, even if Yuki detested Kyo. As Yuki finally discovered the hiding cat he felt a wave of relief wash over him, at least his instincts were right and Kyo was not asleep just yet. The orange haired boy turned around to the intruder; "What you doing up here?"<p>

"I need to talk to you-" Yuki muttered, easing himself warily onto the roof. Kyo's eyes kept their gaze on Yuki, it was apparent he had something troubling him. Kyo looked away and grumbled;

"About what?"

"Have you been told of the late night visitor that raids our rubbish bags?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at Kyo. Kyo's face portrayed confusion, maybe Tohru had not enlightened him on this issue.

"Nah, why?" Kyo replied, not quite understanding what Yuki was talking about. He sighed;

"Well, every night since Monday the bags have been torn to shreds and it is an animal's doing" He kept his eyes focused on Kyo who still seemed confused.

"Where are you going with this?" He complained. Yuki sighed once more and muttered;

"What animal are you aware of that raids rubbish bags? Think long and hard about this-" He took some time to think, he was not aware of an animal that had mischievous antics. The only animal he knew of that commenced in trickery was none other than…

"A fox?" He said finally, his eyes wide in shock. Yuki weakly nodded;

"Yes, I think that is the culprit-"

"But-" Kyo started, now realising the reason for Yuki's worry and apprehensive look. "-Does this mean he is-"

"He is back? That could be the case" Yuki mumbled, looking down at the garden from his perch on the roof. Kyo combed his fingers through his hair, it was apparent, he was just as worried as Yuki.

"So, what are we going to do about it? Tohru doesn't even know about him"

"Exactly, we must find him before Tohru does, this could all end up in tears if we don't-" Yuki mused, thinking deeply. Wasn't he captured by Akito? This meant that he had escaped, and recently too, and this posed a problem for the other members of the family. Kyo sighed, trying to think;

"Okay, but wasn't he locked up?"

"Yes, he must've escaped somehow-" Yuki returned, hoping that the creature was far away now. If Tohru came into contact with the cursed animal it would result in problems. Kyo nodded and mumbled;

"Yeah, I guess this means we have gotta make sure Tohru keeps away from the garden and stuff, right?" Yuki nodded, it was the only thing they could do, this cursed creature was more of a threat than they were aware of. Akito had told them all what he was capable of, the animal associated with devilish trickery, the power to deceive humans and lull them into a false sense of security before deceiving them. Tohru was far too naïve to make contact with a creature of that description.

"Okay, starting from tonight we will search for him, we need to get him back to Akito before this all goes out of hand" Yuki mumbled, actually having a decent conversation with the orange haired boy without cursing or swearing. It made a pleasant change. Kyo nodded. It was time they retired to bed and so they both left the perch on the roof and hastily retreated to their rooms. They were not aware of the culprit listening in on their plan, out of sight under a tree. A smile scarred his face as he allowed himself to flee, he would return however, he would live a normal life even if everyone tried to prevent that. Just because he was a fox did not mean he was different.

* * *

><p>Morning, it was a beautiful spring morning. The birds were singing loudly outside and the aroma of flowers in the garden was the best smell of spring. Tohru happily preoccupied herself by making breakfast. It was a chore she enjoyed. Shigure had joined her in the dining room, reading a newspaper as he waited for breakfast.<p>

"Ah Tohru, that smell is divine-" he mumbled as he continued to read through the mass of news that scarred the page. She smiled shyly, compliments were hard to deal with in her case.

"Thank you Shigure, did you know of the midnight visitor?" she asked, preoccupying herself. He placed the newspaper down almost immediately. His eyes wide in astonishment.

"Midnight visitor?" He repeated. She nodded;

"Yes, an animal keeps destroying the rubbish bags outside. Yuki told me to tell you about this" Shigure went mute for a moment. He knew what could be the cause, but Tohru could not be aware of this. This would result in severe problems. He resumed to reading the paper as he lied;

"It is probably nothing, just ignore it for now" Tohru sighed, she had an idea to what could have been causing the destruction. She was aware of an animal that did this on a regular basis.

"I think-" she mumbled, still preparing breakfast "-it could be a fox" Shigure almost fell out of his chair at her words. How was she aware of that creature? He coughed uneasily, trying to get composed once more.

"I don't think that is the culprit-" he lied once more, turning the page hastily.

"Why do you say that?" she asked curiously, now turning to face Shigure. Her azure eyes focused on his uneasy form. He attempted to conceal his face behind the newspaper but it failed, she wanted answers and now. He sighed;

"Foxes don't live around here, there have never been any reports of a fox's den around here so I don't think it is that" Tohru looked away, the idea of having that sweet animal living nearby had given her some happiness. She knew the characteristics of this animal, how cute it was, how mischievous and devilish it was. That did not seem to matter, it was still a vulnerable animal.

"That's a shame-" she muttered quietly, alerting Shigure. Did she perhaps like foxes?

"Do you… like foxes Tohru?" he struggled to ask, trying not to give anything away. She paused, well they were cute even if they were a nuisance.

"They are cute" She answered, breakfast was almost done. That was a relief. Shigure stopped reading the paper and thought. She would think differently if she actually met THE fox, he wasn't cute in any way or nice. That was the reason for him being locked away. He swallowed hard;

"Foxes are not nice creatures, they kill animals like chickens, cause trouble and destroy rubbish bags. They are nothing but a nuisance" Tohru seemed saddened at Shigure's dislike to the animal, after all not all foxes were classed as devious were they?

Tohru was alerted to the sound of feet pounding the stairs. She smiled, Yuki and Kyo were finally awake and just in time for breakfast too. As she started to prepare the plates both Kyo and Yuki entered the dining room, giving each other a weird look before sitting down. Shigure now rested his newspaper down flat on the table as he seemed jollier than usual;

"Good morning Yuki, Kyo, sleep well?"

"Yes fine, why?" Yuki asked, knowing that Shigure's behaviour was different to normal. He shook his head, trying to divert the attention from him. Kyo remained silent, keeping an ever watchful gaze on both his cousins.

"No reason, Tohru has enlightened me about the midnight visitor" Shigure started, changing the subject. Kyo and Yuki looked at each other before any more words were spoken. Yuki looked at the table;

"Yes, the bags are ripped to shreds, it has been happening ever since Monday" Kyo now turned his eyes to Tohru, who was placing the food on the plates, blissfully unaware, at least he thought so. Shigure looked thoughtful as he placed a hand to his chin;

"Yes Tohru thinks it could be a fox"

"A fox?" Kyo said, louder than he originally planned. His eyes looked across to Yuki who gave him a cursed look.

"Foxes don't live around here do they?" Yuki said, trying to hide the fact that they all knew the intentions of this animal. Shigure nodded, keeping an eye on Tohru. She was not paying attention, it was okay.

"I have said that but Tohru thinks it is a fox, she also... likes foxes"

"I didn't say I like them-" she interrupted the conversation, turning around with plates full of food. She placed them on the table as she continued. "-I just think they are cute"

"Cute?" Yuki repeated, not quite believing what he was hearing. She nodded and smiled as she placed the last plate down in front of Shigure. She eased herself into a chair beside Kyo as everyone's eyes burned into her. Was it such a shock?

"I think foxes are horrible-" Kyo added in, looking away from Tohru. Her face portrayed confusion, she had no idea why everyone was so against them, it all made no sense.

"Anyway-" Shigure started, trying to change the subject. "-lets eat, I am starving!" Everyone nodded and commenced in the morning meal, leaving Tohru confused and bewildered. She would find out why they were so against foxes. It was not normal or natural. Foxes were animals just the same, even if Shigure's natural instinct was to hate foxes due to him being a dog it did not give the others a reason.

* * *

><p>Once breakfast was over all three of them waved goodbye to Shigure and started their daily routine of walking to school. Tohru remained silent, the boys were acting strange this morning. Ever since the midnight visitor had started they had been on edge and behaving differently. She had no idea why but she was determined to find out.<p>

"Yuki-" She started. He turned to look at her;

"What is it Ms. Honda?"

"Why are you all against foxes?" Kyo looked across at Yuki, giving him a stern look. Yuki looked away, not knowing what reasons he could give.

"They are just devious creatures-" He managed to say without giving away the real reason. Tohru looked downwards, they still did not clarify anything, they were avoiding the real question. She decided it would be beneficial if she found out this little secret on her own.

"Tohru do you know that foxes kill other animals? They are nasty, filthy animals. Why do you think they invented fox hunting?" Kyo started. Tohru looked across at the orange haired boy, her eyes portraying a sadness.

"Kyo that is horrible. Fox hunting is cruel, killing any animal is cruel and it should be stopped. I don't care if you all are against foxes, I am not"

She took a stand, feeling more confident than ever right now. The boys looked at each other, shrugged and continued their walk. They walked past a dark part of the forest where the atmosphere seemed to get increasingly worse, almost choking them. Tohru felt herself get slightly cold as the breeze whipped up violently. It tugged at her hair and clawed at her face as they walked past. The silence continued for the majority of the way. Tohru did not know what to say to them, their hatred for the animal was unreal. As they left the vicinity of the forest a figure emerged from the cover of the trees. He stood out in the sunshine, illuminating his slim figure. His spiked red hair shining in the sun's rays, his soft hazel eyes watching the fading shadows of his haters. He thought, that girl, she did not hate his existence, she actually defended him. Kurai stood motionless for some time. He had the idea now, he would get in contact with that girl. At least she wouldn't abhor him, detest him or hate him like his own family did. He smiled, a trip to the school seemed like a good idea right now and so he darted into the forest, out of sight, out of mind, as if he was not even there. As is he were a mirage. Tohru was blissfully unaware that her own opinions would result in something greater, for the cursed fox-child to be drawn to her and she would meet him eventually. The school beckoned them, the time to alter fate was upon them…

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Thank you all, please read and review this. Is Kurai bad? Why do the Sohma's hate him so much? )<strong>_


	3. A Brief Encounter

_**(A mysterious stranger arrives at school, just who is it? Why are Yuki and Kyo on edge? Find out in the next chapter!)**_

Chapter Two: A Brief Encounter

The school day commenced and Tohru sat in her usual seat, daydreaming for the first time in a while. She was still curious to the odd behaviour of both Yuki and Kyo, it was unlike them to both share the same views on something. She sighed. For some unknown reason their tutor had not arrived yet and so everyone was enjoying the free time. Kyo seemed bored as usual, doodling in his notebook, not paying attention to his surroundings. Yuki was talking to some of his peers, probably about the school council meeting due next week. It was an important part of his school life after all.

"Hey Tohru-" Arisa started, appearing behind her. She smiled as Tohru seemed alarmed at her appearance.

"Hey Uo" She mumbled, trying to hide the fact she had just been spooked by her. She settled down on Tohru's desk, looking intently at her.

"Is something wrong? You don't seem your normal self today"

"Oh I'm fine!" Tohru mumbled, smiling wildly as usual. She did not want to alert her friend to her confusion. She could deal with this issue in her own time. Another thing that was odd was the disappearance of their tutor, normally she was never late.

"I wonder why our tutor is late?" Arisa muttered, looking in the direction of the door. She had been gone for some time. Tohru shrugged;

"I have no idea, it must be something important" Arisa nodded and smiled. She was not complaining, anything to get out of doing work and she was up for it. Her eyes wondered to Kyo, sprawled out on his desk as he scribbled in his notebook.

"What's up with orange top?" she enquired to her comrade. Tohru now used this opportunity to look at Kyo, his countenance expressed a sadness, maybe it was due to earlier this morning. She began to feel guilty.

"I have no idea" She mumbled, now quickly turning away from him. If it was all her doing that he expressed such sorrow then it would definitely induce her to feel sadness. Arisa's attention focused on a loud bang, it was the door to the classroom, the tutor had re-appeared. She looked exasperated and her eyes were darting around the room quickly.

"Does anyone here know first aid?" she enquired, her voice raspy and out of breath. It was apparent she had been running. Tohru shyly put her hand up and the tutor signalled for her to follow. She slowly got up out of her seat as everyone watched eagerly. It was odd that the tutor had asked for a first aid so suddenly. Had something bad happened? She left the room, alongside the tutor, wondering why she had been called out. Was it bad to skip class like this?

As they rushed down the corridor the tutor lead her to just outside the school gates. A person was sprawled out on the cobbles, motionless. Tohru's eyes widened upon seeing the crumpled figure, this was the cause for the commotion. Upon closer inspection it did not seem as if this person came to her school. It was an outsider. The person's face could not be seen, their mass of red hair concealed the holder's identity. The tutor rushed over to the figure and knelt down. Tohru followed uneasily behind, watching apprehensively. Just why was there a person here? Was he/she injured?

"They are still breathing-" The tutor muttered, gently placing a hand to the figure's back, feeling the unsteady rise and fall of the chest. The air whistled through it's lungs, obviously this person had breathing difficulties.

"What am I meant to do?" Tohru asked, now beginning to get worried. She had never been in this situation before. The tutor looked up at her and motioned for her to come closer to the figure. She complied and knelt down beside the crumpled framework.

"I want you to gently move the person on their back, we need to know just who this is-" Tohru swallowed hard and weakly nodded. Moving this person could be dangerous but her eyes did not perceive any sign of injuries or broken bones. It was likely the person had collapsed. She gently hooked her fingers around the sides of the person and gently rolled them onto their back. As she did that the mass of red hair fell from the face to reveal it was a young boy, around her age. His face was pale and malignant. He looked malnourished and weak and every breath he commenced in seemed to hurt his being. Tohru felt sympathy for this anonymous person, she longed to help in some way.

"It is a male I see-" The tutor mused, standing up. Tohru watched the tutor intently. It would have to be logged, any accidents on schools grounds were a risk to their status.

"Tohru please wait here as I go and report this to the principal-"

"Okay" She mumbled as the tutor quickly rushed back into the school, ready to foretell the event to the principal. Tohru turned her azure eyes back to the boy, he was incredibly weak and vulnerable. She had no idea how he could of gotten into this state and how he had got here. It all made no sense. His short red hair was a complete contrast with the paleness of his skin and his attire was of all black, similar to the uniform in winter.

"Can you hear me?" she started, gently nudging the boy, attempting to get some kind of response. She received none, just the weak sound of breathing. She felt a sorrow creep into her heart, this was a bad turn of events. This poor boy, how had this happened?

* * *

><p>Back at the classroom Yuki had noticed Tohru's quick departure along with Kyo and Arisa. Saki was not here today, she had a terrible illness and so decided it would be beneficial to sleep it off. Yuki looked thoughtful, first the tutor disappears and then Tohru goes too. This was far more than just coincidence.<p>

"What do you think has got everyone so worked up then?" Arisa asked, walking over to the cousins. Kyo ignored her presence while Yuki answered;

"No idea, my instinct tells me there has been some sort of accident" Kyo now allowed his eyes to glare at Yuki, maybe they both were right. It could have some connection to the 'midnight visitor' but that seemed uncanny, there was no apparent reason for him to arrive at their school, was there?

"Accident?" Arisa repeated, looking somewhat shocked. Yuki nodded and looked towards the direction of the door. He hoped his instincts were wrong and that HE had not ventured to these lengths to get in touch with Tohru. After all, he would not be aware of her existence, would he? Kyo paused in his doodling and relaxed in his chair, at least they were spared the chore of work. That was an added bonus to all this upheaval.

"I wonder what has happened-" Arisa mused, curious to the event that was secretly commencing in the school yard. Kyo and Yuki gave each other a stern look, as soon as they could they would interrogate Tohru to ensure she had not been in contact with him. If she had, this would be harder to deal with than they originally planned.

* * *

><p>Tohru watched the boy for a few minutes, watching at how innocent he was. As she inspected his features it was noted he was perhaps a little older than she was, perhaps eighteen or so. It still did not quell the anxiety that filled her being. She sat uncomfortably beside the figure, watching for any signs of awakening. She had tried time and time again to awaken the boy but she received nothing. It was as if he would not awaken. She sighed, it seemed as if time was dragging on and on and the longer she stayed out here the longer her friends would worry. Her tutor had claimed that she would be back soon only she had taken longer than usual. She tried again;<p>

"Please wake up" The boy did not move, his eyes remained closed, he remained motionless. He was alive however, he was breathing and he was warm to the touch. Tohru nervously bit into her lip, what was her plan of action now? She gently nudged him once more and this time she received a small groan. Her azure eyes widened, did he make a noise? She nudged him again and the groan escaped the figure once more. Perhaps he was finally coming to. Slowly she watched as his eyelids started to flicker slightly then his eyes opened, revealing a soft hazel colouring. Tohru felt overjoyed that this boy was okay, that he was awake. Quickly he sat up, holding his head.

"Oh please don't exert yourself! Relax, please!" She said, her voice full of worry. The boy paused and turned to where the voice came from. His soft hazel eyes depicted the image of Tohru, her face expressing sheer apprehension and worry. He blinked curiously for a few moments before mumbling weakly;

"What happened? How did I get here?"

"I don't know, my tutor bought me here to see if you were okay" She answered, feeling uneasy around the new stranger. His narrow hazel eyes portrayed how lost he actually was. He kept his gaze onto Tohru, not knowing whether or not she was friend or foe. She smiled, she hated not knowing just who he was.

"What's your name? I am Tohru Honda" She mumbled, her voice sweet and musical. The boy paused for a moment, contemplating whether or not he should reveal his identity to some-one he did not know. The innocence shown on her countenance explained it all and he smiled weakly;

"My name is Kurai Sohma-"

"Sohma?" She repeated, her face full of shock. Was he related to Yuki and Kyo? The boy known as Kurai nodded, his face portraying slight confusion.

"Yes… why is that a problem?" She immediately shook her head, frantically waving her hands about;

"Oh no, not at all. I am staying with some Sohma's and I thought you might have been related to them" Kurai scratched his head in a boyish fashion, this was the girl he had saw earlier, the girl who had defended his species. It was apparent she was unaware that he was the 'midnight' visitor. He smiled;

"What are the names of these Sohma's?" Tohru's eyes widened and then she confessed;

"Yuki, Kyo and Shigure-"

"Ah-" he mumbled, looking downwards. It was obvious the names were not favourable. Tohru watched on, eagerly. This boy was so mysterious, she wanted to know more even though she had only just met him. She believed she was a member of the Sohma family.

"Do you know them?" She asked curiously. Kurai looked back at Tohru and forced a smile;

"No, sadly not" It was odd that he came from another family of Sohma's, she was not aware of another family in this area with that name, unless he was lying. He rubbed his head slightly, feeling a throbbing pain commence inside his brain. A migraine was not part of this plan.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concerned about this mysterious stranger. He nodded.

"Yes, I'll be fine I just have to leave here-"

He stood up shakily, Tohru followed, worried about him exerting himself after passing out. Frantically she called out;

"You should rest, you shouldn't put too much stress on your body!" He turned back to look at her and smiled, his face pain stricken.

"I'll be fine, go back to class. I am glad to have met you and I promise you this will not be the last time we will meet-" He winked at her and then somehow managed to find the strength to dart off around the corner. Tohru rushed after him, calling out;

"Wait! You can't go, you're still hurt and weak!"

It was too late, he had vanished, just like a mirage. As if she had never even set eyes on him. His name was Sohma? Maybe talking to Yuki or Kyo about him would clarify things, make things a bit more clearer. Kurai did give off a mysterious aura just like the rest of the cursed family so it was probable he was part of it too but due to not knowing her he lied to protect his identity. Maybe he was cursed too? She stood motionless thinking, thinking about his image. Those soft hazel eyes and that mass of spiky red hair, no-one in the family had those characteristics. Maybe his curse was different? It was also odd how Yuki or Kyo had never mentioned anything about another member of the family It was as if it was all a terrible, dark secret, meant to be kept away from the world. She decided, she would interrogate them eventually, she would find out just who Kurai Sohma was, and why he rushed off like that. She would uncover the truth…

* * *

><p><em><strong>(So Tohru has met the elusive fox, exciting! Will Kyo and Yuki admit to his identity? Will she ever see him again and why was he passed out on the floor? Review please and thanks)<strong>_


	4. A Kitsune Legend

_**(Tohru is curious about Foxes but why? And what will the others think of her dangerous curiosity? Find out!)**_

Chapter Three: A Kitsune Legend

Tohru decided it would be beneficial to alert the Principal of the mysterious boy and how he had miraculously took off, out of sight, when it was apparent he was hurt. The Principal did not seem too thrilled at the predicament. He did however excuse her for the rest of that lesson to recover from the initial shock. She earnestly wanted to go back to class but he refused, commenting about peers asking questions. She nodded and decided to sit in the library. The library was the quietest place in the school after all and here she could think without being disturbed, at least that was what she thought. As she grabbed a book written about foxes she settled herself down in a chair. For some reason ever since the midnight visitor had started his prowl she could not rest. She wanted to know more about the behaviour of these devious creatures and how to lure them out of hiding. That would put her mind at rest once and for all, because right now everything was mere speculation. Her azure eyes scanned the pictures of the red and black creatures with long bushy tails. They were incredibly endearing and she could not help but smile. She decided to read, to discover a little bit more about them;

'Red foxes are the largest of all foxes…' She scanned the page, reading only a few choice words. '…are social animals…has a long history with humans….have elongated bodies and short limbs…live in groups….are omnivores…tend to dominate other species…' She stopped, turning the page, her eyes scanned a mythical drawing that some-one created, depicting a fox in a human form. This immediately caught her attention and she could not help read it to herself;

'Chinese folk tales tell of fox-spirits that may have up to nine tails. In Japanese mythology the Kitsune are fox-like spirits, possessing magical abilities that increase with age and wisdom foremost is the ability to assume human form…' She paused, she had no idea that foxes were involved in mythology. Things were becoming stranger, she read on;

'While some folktales speak of Kitsune employing this ability to trick others, other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers and wives. A Kitsune may take human form when it reaches a certain age. As a common prerequisite for the transformation, the fox must place reeds, a broad leaf or a skull over its head. Other supernatural abilities attributed by the Kitsune include possession, wilful manifestations in dreams of others, invisibility and the creation of illusions. Other Kitsune have characteristics reminiscent of vampires and feed on the life or spirit of humans, generally through sexual contact-' She paused in her reading, this was more in-depth than she first envisioned, maybe this was the reason for everyone's apparent hatred towards foxes.

A hand on her shoulder suddenly made her jump, slamming the book shut. Her eyes wide in astonishment as she perceived who made her jump up.

"Oh Haru, it's you-" she mumbled, trying to get her breath back. He nodded plainly and eased himself into the chair beside her, looking at the book on the table.

"Reading about foxes eh?" he enquired, his dark eyes scanning the book. She swallowed hard, maybe Haru hated foxes like the others? She weakly nodded, how could she hide this?

"Yes, Yuki and Kyo really hate foxes and I was curious to know why" Haru looked thoughtful as he placed his elbows on the table. He remained silent for a few moments before speaking;

"I have no idea why, maybe they are jealous or something-"

"Jealous?" Tohru repeated, looking at the adolescent. She did not even enquire to why he was not in class, that subject would be next on the list. He nodded;

"Yeah I mean foxes are regal and elegant, Kyo is a feral kitten and Yuki is a disease infested rat, it's only natural to be jealous"

"Haru, that is mean" Tohru defended them both due to their absence. He chuckled quietly under his breath. He never had a subtle way with words. He relaxed in his chair a little, keeping his eyes focused on Tohru. She still appeared shocked, was what she was reading really that personal?

"Anyway, what you doing here in the library?" he asked, aimlessly looking around for any wondering tutors. Tohru looked down;

"I was sent here by the Principal. Last lesson my tutor called me out of class to tend to a boy who had passed out on school premises"

"Oh-" he retorted plainly, in his usual manner. She placed her hands on her knees as she refused to make eye contact. Why was she feeling guilty about being sent here? She wasn't in trouble after all.

"Why are you here?" She asked, changing the subject.

"I came to get a book for Chemistry but I cannot be bothered now" Tohru could not help but smile, at least she was not on her own. It seemed that Haru was oblivious to the hatred that the others expressed, maybe he did not hate foxes. She gently took hold of the book once more, trying to remember what page she was on.

"It's weird to find you in here without Kyo or Yuki and you're reading about foxes. it's just so weird-" Haru commented, resting his hands behind his head as he relaxed comfortably in the chair. Luckily for them the library was like a ghost town, only the librarian was at her desk, idly typing away. She weakly nodded at his comment and smiled;

"I guess it is, I just felt the urge to discover more about them. I do not understand why people think they are bad creatures. They are just as vulnerable as any other living thing"

"I like the way you put things into perspective-" He commented again, giving her a smile. She felt a felt wave of happiness rush into her veins, it was a nice change that some-one was not slandering her beliefs. She nervously fidgeted with the book in her hands. After some time he stood up and stretched his limbs. With a sigh he mumbled;

"Anyway, I better get back to class. See you later"

"Bye, Haru-" She mumbled quietly and she watched as he left the library, without the book he had come here for. Was that a cover story? Her azure eyes nervously returned to the book, her curiosity was bursting at the seams but she knew that class would end soon, she did not have enough time to read about it. Maybe she could take it out? Without anymore thinking she hastily rushed to the desk to retrieve the book. The librarian stamped the inner page and handed it to the nervous girl, who rammed it into her school bag. She would read this later.

* * *

><p>Kyo and Yuki sat alongside Haru and Momiji at dinner. An empty space where Tohru usually sat kept their gaze for a few moments. Why was she late? Had she left school? Kyo lazily played with his food using his fork, obviously disinterested in eating. Yuki decided to enquire if the others had seen Tohru since she had been whisked away by the tutor.<p>

"Have any of you seen Ms. Honda?" he enquired, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Yeah, I saw her. She was in the library-" Haru said plainly, resting comfortably in his chair. Momiji looked on with wide eyes. He did not know the reason for her disappearance in the first place.

"In the library?" Yuki repeated, giving Haru a confused look. He nodded.

"Yeah, she was reading a book about foxes-" As if on command Yuki almost spat out his food in shock. Kyo slammed down his fork on the plate and Haru winced slightly. Momiji looked alarmed also. What was the big deal?

"This going to be harder than we thought-" Yuki said, sighing. He placed a hand to his forehead. Momiji blinked curiously, he did not understand any of this.

"What's going on?" he asked innocently, looking at the others boys who refused to give anything away as of yet. Haru looked confused also.

"Yeah, it seems Tohru really likes those filthy rodents-" Kyo commented, almost with a jealous undertone.

"I wonder what we can do to prevent her from researching about them?" Yuki mused. Haru looked across at the boys and then shrugged. After hearing what Tohru had said about their behaviour it was true that they were acting oddly, and it was not only down to their hatred towards them, it was something more.

"What is wrong with foxes?" Momiji asked, his large hazel eyes looking at Yuki who seemed almost infuriated at his innocence.

"He doesn't know-" Kyo groaned, looking across at Yuki. Surprisingly whenever this subject arose it did not result in Kyo and Yuki fighting. They both shared the same views on this for once.

"What doesn't he know?" Haru asked, feeling out of circle, placing his elbows on the table and resting his hands against the side of his face. Kyo looked at Yuki, were they prepared to tell everything just yet? Yuki swallowed hard, not even some of the family knew of his existence. This would be hard to explain.

"The fox is apart of our family-" Yuki mumbled. He knew that he would receive confusion from Haru and probably joy from Momiji.

"What do you mean?"

"Well-" Yuki started, feeling himself begin to get more nervous. "-The fox is a part of our family. It is the one member Akito has had locked up for many years. He is cursed far greater than any of us, his curse is not triggered by hugging the opposite sex, it can be triggered whenever he pleases. He is a devious creature who deceives humans and betrays others. He is something that should be stopped and that was why Akito had him locked up, to keep everyone safe-"

"I am guessing, because you keep referring to the past tense, that he has escaped now?" Haru asked, his face looking slightly interested for once. Kyo and Yuki nodded in unison, sighing. Momiji seemed slightly excited at the idea, almost jumping out of his seat.

"Oh wow, a new member of the Zodiac!"

"Not quite-" Kyo mumbled under his breath, allowing Yuki to continue his long and tedious monologue.

"He is part of the family but not the Zodiac. Akito refers to him as a Kitsune, a fox spirit that can take on human form whenever it pleases. The form it takes is said to be either handsome or beautiful and it immediately lures humans to them. They are said to trick humans and lead them to their downfall. They also, according to legends, possess magical powers-"

"Really?" Momiji beamed, obviously excited. He did not see the error to this form, to how dangerous it actually was. Yuki sighed and shook his head;

"No it isn't good Momiji. Their abilities include invading dreams of others or even invisibility. They can even drive people insane to some degree. Some can even absorb human life through sexual contact-" This received a silence from the others, now it was obviously a lot more serious than they first thought.

Haru coughed uneasily to destroy the awkward silence. This subject was far to serious for the liking of him.

"So, that is the reason for your hatred towards foxes" He concluded, nodding to his own comment. Kyo uneasily agreed and resumed playing with the mess that was apparently lunch on his plate. Momiji's countenance altered from awe to horror. If this person was now at large that meant everyone was in danger.

"We must keep Ms. Honda away from him at all costs, even if it means that she hates us forever" Yuki issued, giving everyone a stern gaze. It was apparent, this subject was not to be taken lightly. Suddenly a happy, jovial voice broke the dreaded atmosphere;

"Hello everyone, sorry I am late!" They all turned around quickly to see the celestial image of Tohru, holding her own plate of food. She quietly settled beside Kyo and smiled. They kept their gaze on her for a few moments longer which made her begin to get nervous;

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice jumpy at her nervousness.

"Nothing Ms. Honda" Yuki said with a smile, deterring the fact that the subject they were conversing about earlier was actually very important. She did not seem confident in his speech.

"We were talking about… what to do for our individual projects-" Kyo added in, he hated lying to her but it was necessary wasn't it? She seemed alarmed at this, frantically flailing her arms about;

"Oh no! I have no idea what I am going to do!"

"Relax Ms. Honda, we have until the end of the week to decide on something" Yuki reassured.

Momiji and Haru kept mute for now, it was the best option. She seemed to calm down and managed a weak smile. She started to eat her lunch as Kyo and Yuki gave each other a stern look, they needed to keep this act up throughout the duration of uncertainty. Until they knew that the fox-boy was locked up once more they could not risk endangering her life in anyway. This day was going to be pretend, to pretend everything was fine when behind the curtains everything was a mess, everything was turned on it's axis due to one boy, the boy who was cursed with the fox spirit…

* * *

><p><em><strong>(What will happen next? Are the legends true about the boy? Is he really bad or are they false accusations? Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks!)<strong>_


	5. A Past For The Future

_**(It's getting exciting now, Tohru is really engrossed in foxes and will the others try to stop her in her dangerous game? Find out!)**_

Chapter Four: A Past For The Future

Back at the Sohma house Shigure was idly minding his own business, thinking of what his next novel could entail, of what elements he would put inside it to make it more interesting than his last. A sigh escaped his lips as the dreaded silence shrouded the room, it was lonely when everyone was at school. Suddenly the phone began to ring, at least that destroyed the silence. He got up slowly and walked over to the telephone. As he picked it up he answered;

"Hello? Shigure speaking"

"Hello Shigure, it's Hatori from the main house-" Came the voice, not in the usual monotone sounds he was accustomed to. Shigure alerted immediately, it wasn't everyday he would receive a phone call from the main house unless something was wrong.

"What is it? Has something happened to Akito?" Shigure asked, slightly worried.

"No, it's not Akito we are all worried about. Have you been made aware of Kurai escaping a few days ago?" Shigure looked thoughtful, would he confess to Hatori about the mid-night visitor? There was no substantial proof that it was due to Kurai so he merely answered;

"No, I did not know. How did this happen?"

"He smashed a window, by the looks of it he used his body weight to shatter it. He will be injured no doubt-" Shigure could not even remember what the boy looked like, it had been so long since he last set eyes on the cursed boy. No-one was allowed any contact with him. He combed his fingers through his hair;

"So, you have phoned me to keep a look out for him?"

"Yes, if he turns up there alert me immediately. Akito is already furious about this dilemma and we must all try to get him back" Shigure nodded, even though Hatori could not perceive his actions.

"Okay, I'll tell Yuki and Kyo about this too. Is it really serious?" Hatori paused on the phone before muttering;

"Yes, very serious-"

"Why is this young boy so dangerous?" Shigure enquired, wanting to know everything. He did, after all, have a curious nature. Hatori sighed;

"He is not cursed in the same manner as ourselves, he is cursed with a fox spirit. This spirit tricks humans and bewitches others. He partakes in events such as theft and robbery so we must be alert at all times" Shigure thought, a young boy was capable of so much destruction? It did not seem to add up, nevertheless he agreed.

"Okay then, I'll phone you back if something comes up-"

"Okay, thank you. Have a nice day-" Hatori issued and the phone conversation ended.

* * *

><p>Tohru walked alongside Kyo and Yuki on the way back home, clutching her school bag tighter than usual. She could not risk them to find her book, otherwise they would definitely be angry. She had decided that as soon as she could she would read more on this subject, she needed to lure out this animal to see if it really was a fox that was causing so much mayhem.<p>

"What are you guys doing for your individual projects?" Tohru asked, trying to change the subject within her mind. Yuki turned to look at her and he smiled;

"I am going to do it on what I like to do in my spare time"

"Yeah, like everyone wants to hear about your stupid gardening habits-" Kyo added crudely, receiving a stern glance from Yuki. Even so, they did not bicker as usual. Tohru merely smiled.

"Sounds lovely!" She turned to Kyo, who's face seemed more discontent than usual. He had things playing on his mind. It was clearly seen.

"What about you Kyo?" He glanced across at her;

"I am going to make it about my training with my master at the dojo. It is the only thing that I have time for right now-" Tohru nodded, everyone had their projects done and sorted apart from her. If she did not think of one soon the tutor would pick for her and she did not want that. She thought deep within, maybe more research into foxes could help her with her project? She contemplated that idea as they continued their monotonous walk back to the house.

As they entered Shigure greeted them with a large grin, even more cheerful than usual. Kyo and Yuki glanced across at each other before shrugging it off. Tohru greeted Shigure with the same smile, even if it was forced to some degree.

"Have a good day at school?" He enquired to Tohru as the others had left his presence, and wisely so. She nodded;

"Yes, I had to help out with a boy who collapsed at the school" Shigure stopped and placed a hand to his chin.

"Is that so? Is the boy okay now?" She nodded wildly, still smiling that same infectious smile.

"I hope so, he looked really ill. He said his last name was Sohma…" Shigure's eyes widened as from behind Yuki and Kyo listened in on the conversation. Luckily they were not detected by Tohru.

"Sohma you say?" Shigure started, he had a feeling that the boy was the one Hatori had phoned him about. Tohru nodded and looked at the ground. It was as if talking about it made her feel uneasy, that it was the wrong thing to do.

"Yes, he said his name was Kurai Sohma-" A cold chill attacked Shigure's bones and made him shudder suddenly. He coughed uneasily to deter the fact of his outburst.

"Oh, how unusual-" He said, trying to be calm. Both Yuki and Kyo were looking at each other, already forming a plan in their minds. They would need to discuss this matter at a later date. This was already bad enough. Tohru had already met him, she already knew what he looked like, the way he spoke. It would only be a matter of time. Tohru continued;

"He claimed he was not part of this family though, but I just sense he is lying about something"

"Well, I can say I am not aware of anyone in the family by the name of Kurai-" He lied, trying to get out of this situation. He aimlessly looked around, refusing to make eye contact with the innocent girl. Tohru seemed saddened by this, something deep inside was telling her that they were hiding a big secret and she would find out eventually. She would discover why everyone was acting out of character, even Kyo and Yuki were behaving normal. She clutched her bag tightly and smiled;

"Anyway I won't be making dinner tonight, I have to catch up on some work for school. I hope you do not mind"

"Oh no it's fine, school is more important than us starving to death" He sighed, being dramatic as usual "-I'll just get Yuki to make up one of his legendary concoctions, if you smell burning please do not worry!" She managed a weak smile, it was cruel of her to suddenly skip out on her chores but this matter was more important right now. She nodded politely and took her leave to retreat to her room. As she left the room Yuki and Kyo reappeared, giving Shigure stern looks.

"She has already met him-" Yuki muttered, showing signs that this was not the best of situations to be put in. Kyo nodded. Shigure placed a hand to his chin and sighed;

"Well, never mind. The more stressing subject right now is what to have for dinner tonight. I do not think I can stomach Yuki's attempt at dinner" Yuki gave his cousin a cursed stare for his insults. Kyo looked thoughtful, why had Tohru suddenly decided not to make dinner? Yes, she had claimed to have work but he was almost positive that was not the case.

"Lets get take out then-" Yuki mumbled, trying to fight off the anger within his frame. Shigure almost jumped at the idea;

"Brilliant idea Yuki! At least then we won't suffer from food poisoning" Again another sigh was released into the atmosphere as they all started to worry about Tohru. Her naivety concerning this issue was too much, she needed to be aware of the boy's habits and what he was capable of, otherwise she would learn the hard way.

* * *

><p>She nervously sat on her bed, book in her hands, her eyes scanning the pages intently. She needed to know more, her thirst for knowledge was tearing at the seams right now as the only thing that entered her mind was that of foxes and she did not know why. She looked carefully at the photographs concealed within the book, they were elegant creatures and in the pictures they were not portrayed as devious or cunning. It made her sad that everyone had an apparent hatred for them. She decided to take this time to read more about them, about the legend that she had got so hooked into;<p>

'Kitsune are often presented as tricksters, with motives that vary from mischief to malevolence. Stories tell of Kitsune playing tricks on overly proud samurai, greedy merchants and boastful commoners, while the crueller ones abuse poor tradesmen and farmers…' She swallowed hard, they were classed as devious? Even in the legends? She refused to believe it and with a shake of her head she continued to read on;

'Another tactic is for the Kitsune to confuse it's target with illusions or visions. Other common goals include seduction, theft of food, humiliation of the prideful, or vengeance for a perceived slight..'

She thought, all those things they were capable of. Yes, it was only legend but right now she felt as if it were real, that these creatures actually lived amongst them. They had the power to seduce others, to steal food and humiliate people. They did not sound as amazing as she once thought but nevertheless she continued to read on;

'A Kitsune will keep their promises and strive to repay any favour. Occasionally a Kitsune attaches itself to a person or household, where they can cause all kinds of mischief. Other Kitsune use their magic for the benefit of their companions or hosts as long as the humans treat them with respect. A Kitsune who is adopted into the house are said to bring it's host money or stolen items…'

She stopped, even though the majority of these legends were probably not real they surely seemed it to her. It was as if she had actually MET one, which was clearly absurd. She shook it out of her mind and started to think. What would she do if she actually met some-one like that? Would she freak out and scream? Would she turn away or would she stick by them no matter what? Not even she had those answers. She sighed, all this reading was making her sleepy and she thought it would be good to skip dinner tonight, she did not want anymore questions or weird looks from the others. A small nap would suffice, it would clear everything up surely.

* * *

><p>Kyo, Yuki and Shigure sat at the table eating dinner. Tohru was absent, they had not heard a word from her room since she had told them she was doing work for school. They did not buy that however, it was something more than that.<p>

"So this is really serious huh?" Kyo mused as he delved into his dinner. Yuki and Shigure nodded in unison.

"Indeed it is, Ms. Honda is not aware of the dangers that are linked with the meeting of some-one as cursed as he is. She will become obsessed with him, she will want to know more and more until she is too involved and becomes apart of his cursed life, she will never find a way out of it"

"Kurai has an ability to attract the opposite sex to such a degree that they almost become obsessed. They do not know why, but they are and they always want to know more and to be with him all the time. That is what could happen to Tohru if we are not careful" Shigure added in, taking a sip of tea. Kyo looked panic stricken, that was the last thing they wanted. Tohru was too naive to come across some-one like that.

"How are we going to stop her?" He asked, wanting the answers. Yuki paused in eating as he sighed;

"I do not know, the only thing we can do is keep an eye on her at all times and if she starts acting out of character we must confront her about it"

"She is acting odd now" Kyo mused, commencing in eating once more. Shigure looked across at the worried teenagers. If only the main house had taken extra precautions, this would not have happened. This would be the downfall of her, it was apparent.

"For now we must wait and stay alert to the happenings. It will only be a matter of time before he slips up and lets his guard down. Hatori phoned me and told he is injured as it is so finding him at the moment might be easier"

"Injured?" Yuki questioned.

"Yes, he used his whole body to shatter the window so he will obviously be injured. Those kind of injuries wont heal quickly" Kyo looked across at Yuki, thinking. Could they make some sort of trap? To catch the 'midnight' visitor?

"Could we make a trap?" he finally enquired, which got Yuki's attention. He looked thoughtful as he paused once more. Shigure took another sip of tea;

"Well, that is an idea but he is not stupid. Foxes are far from that, it would take a very intricate trap to snare him-" Kyo sighed, it seemed right now that he was invincible to their plans, there must be some way.

"We will sleep on it tonight and think of something in the morning-" Shigure said, finally finishing his dinner. Yuki and Kyo nodded, sleep would clear things up and everything would be sorted by tomorrow. It had to be, for everyone's sake and also Tohru's.

* * *

><p>It was way past midnight, luckily for Tohru everyone was asleep and she was now wide awake due to her little nap previously. This time would be perfect, she knew that the 'midnight' visitor would be lurking and she had this book on what foods they liked. Maybe she could lure him out? She switched on a lamp so she could see the book. She grabbed the book that lay on her bed and scanned through the pages. There must be something that they liked better than anything else and she was positive that she would have something in the cupboards that fitted the description. She read some of the words;<p>

'_They are omnivores… I don't have rodents and birds but it says they like berries, fruits, fish and eggs… I have eggs and fruit. I could try that'_

With that in mind she closed the book and escaped the room. She quietly snuck down the stairs as not to alert the others of her night time prowling. She quietly walked into the kitchen and grabbed a plate from the cupboard. The next step was to get some fruit from the fruit bowl and some eggs from the fridge. After doing that she used a rolling pin to smash up the food so it looked like a gooey mixture, something that did not look edible. Once she did that she stood back and admired the mess, this would be perfect, at least she hoped. Slowly she unlocked the backdoor and escaped out into the wilderness. For once the bags had not been destroyed yet but she knew it would only be a matter of time, and this time she would be the observer. She placed the plate out onto a spot of grass and moved away. She sat herself not too far away from the plate and waited. She could feel the cold wind clawing at her face as she shivered. It always got really cold at night but right now this was more important. It was incredibly dark so perceiving the animal would be difficult. She had resigned herself to the fact she would be able to. She waited, for how long she was unaware of and she was starting to get tired. Maybe the animal would not come tonight? Perhaps her presence was keeping it away? She could feel her eyelids growing heavier the longer time progressed. Usually the visitor would of destroyed the bags and everything would be strewn all over the garden but tonight it had not occurred yet. Perhaps her instincts were wrong and with that in mind she felt herself begin to drift off into a slumber.

To snap her out of her daze a broken twig made her jump up and her eyes frantically searched for the maker of the noise. She could barely see a red figure beside the bowl. She focused closer, was that the fox? Was this the animal? As her eyes focused she recognised those features, the long elongated body, the red and black furred animal. It was a fox and it was only a few metres away from her, blissfully unaware. She took quiet breaths, she did not want to frighten the animal. It continued to devour the meal she had prepared and once it had finished it raised it's head to her. It's dark mysterious eyes glancing at her. She froze, that look in the eyes, she knew it, she had seen it before but right now her mind was devoid of the answers. She wanted to speak but the words were hushed in her throat. The wind started up violently, whistling through the trees as the animal continued to stare at her, it did not seem nervous at her presence, just curious.

'_Oh wow, I cannot believe it is true! It is a fox! Oh it's so cute!' _she said to herself mentally.

She watched as it settled down comfortably and tilted its head to the side, gently flickering its ears up and down. She could not help but smile, it was amazing that it had not run away yet, that it was still here with her. It waved its long tail effortlessly beside it, keeping its eyes firmly fixed on her. She felt her heart start to thunder deep within;

'_Oh dear, If Yuki or Kyo caught me out here they would be so mad! Oh no, what am I to do? This animal is so cute, I just cannot take my eyes off it! What is wrong with me?' _

As she mentally said those words the fox stood up and motioned with it's head for her to look in a right direction. She seemed confused. The fox continued to make a sign to go to the right, to a gap in the fence. She felt her legs begin to tremble as she uneasily stood up, why was she so nervous? It was only an animal right? She felt each heavy step drain her energy as she followed the animal slowly, she did not want to scare it away. It scampered away a little towards the gap in the fence and waited. Tohru followed, feeling the wind continually attack her pale and colourless face. What was she doing? Was this okay? She brushed a overhanging branch out of her face as she neared the red animal. Slowly it scurried underneath the fence panel and out of sight. She followed, quicker this time. She lifted up the panel and stepped into the forest just beyond. The animal was gone, it was out of sight and now she felt as if she had made a really big mistake. Her heart started up dangerous palpitations within her chest as her eyes scanned the scenery. All she could see were a mass of dark skinny trees. She felt herself walking forward, where had that animal got to?

'_Have I been tricked? Just like it said in the book?'_She said to herself mentally, now feeling slightly uneasy about being here, on her own. She believed that she had made the worst mistake of her life so far, that the fox had tricked her and now she would meet her end.

* * *

><p>As she walked past another tree her eyes caught something white on the forest floor, sparkling. It looked like a jewel of some sort. The moonlight reflected of it's pure orb and this attracted her. Why was this here? As she neared the orb her eyes looked around, there was no-one here, just her. She swallowed hard as she knelt to pick it up.<p>

"So you did follow me-" Came a majestic sounding voice which made her eyes widen.

Slowly she looked up to where she had detected the voice. There was no animal there, just the figure of a boy, concealed by the shadow of the tree. She quickly stood up, feeling scared for the first time in a long time. She backed into a tree as she felt every muscle in her body tighten and start to ache. She was not aware of anyone living inside Sohma territory. She watched as the dark figure knelt down to pick up the white beads and gently placed them around his neck. He was so majestic in his actions, almost God-like. Her eyes were entirely focused on the being concealed by the trees, She stuttered on her words;

"I…I f-followed… A fo-… A fo-…"

"It's fine, I understand that you are scared-" the figure interrupted, moving out from under the cover of the trees.

Tohru now managed to depict the image of the boy. It was the boy she had seen at school earlier,the one who collapsed, his red hair shining under the glow of the moon, his narrow hazel eyes focusing entirely on her. She now noticed his attire was entirely black to give him camouflage. Her heart began to thunder inside her chest when she saw how incredibly handsome he was, it was almost unreal. She had never seen anyone so majestic and so beautiful in all her years. It made her speechless. He looked away, a sorrow scarring those beautiful features;

"I am sorry for this, I never intended to scare you-" He placed a hand to his face which alerted her immediately. This was far more farfetched than she ever thought, was this boy that fox that lead her here? She tried to speak again;

"Were you t-the… fox that l-lead me out h-here?" Her azure eyes scanned his countenance. He weakly nodded and moved a strand of crimson hair out of his eyes. She could not stop her gaze, he was entrapping her and she had no idea why.

"Yes, I am the fox-child, the one everyone abhors, the one everyone hates-" he answered with a sigh. She tried to regain her composure, here was that same fox-spirit that she read about in legends and he was standing right in front of her. How was this even happening?

She kept a safe distance away from the mysterious boy. She refused to allow him nearer, just in case he would deceive her as the legends foretold. His narrow hazel eyes looked at her angelic countenance and he weakly smiled;

"I remember you clearly, you were the one who helped me at the school. I am very grateful-"

"It-it's no pr-problem…" She uttered quickly, bowing her head a little. Were there any needs for formalities with him? She did not even know him. He gently played with the white crystals that lined his neck, they contrasted with his dark attire and almost illuminated his skin. She slowly raised her eyes, apprehensive of the mysterious boy.

"I promised you we would meet again. I have been watching you for some time-" He mumbled, looking at her intently. "-you have defended my species till the end. Can I ask the question of why?" She paused, what could she answer? She had no real answer to this only that she thought they were cute, could she say that? She mumbled nervously;

"I think foxes are cute-" The boy chuckled and smiled, at least the atmosphere that was choking her was slowly subsiding.

"Cute eh? Well, I am very flattered. It's not very often I get called 'cute'-" She felt herself begin to blush. She didn't even know why he had caused her cheeks to burn so violently but it was happening and she hoped he did not notice. He coughed abruptly;

"I have already told you my name, I am Kurai Sohma, the one burdened to be cursed by the fox. My own family abhors me to the extent of having me locked up like a prisoner-" He trailed off, looking up at the moon that hung lazily in the sky. Tohru now seemed curious, the real fox was here, she could ask all the questions that she wanted and he would most likely answer them.

"Why do they hate you? Are you actually related to the Sohma's?" He weakly nodded and rested his hand against the tree Tohru was against. He looked into her eyes and foretold his tale;

"Yes, I am related to the Sohma's, however, my curse is different. Yes, I transform into an animal but it is not part of the Zodiac. My curse was due to my father's fault. He is part of the Sohma's and he fell in love with a beautiful woman, the most striking of all females in his town. It was only natural of course but he had no idea she held a deep secret that would ruin his life forever-" He paused as he saw the curiosity lighting up her pure face, she longed to know more, to clear all the rumours, all the tales. He continued;

"-He had no idea she was a Kitsune, a fox spirit that tricked men and seduced them. She seduced my father and he fell in love with her. They had me, I was their only son and everything seemed perfect. My father was planning to marry my mother until the day of the wedding my mother was terribly upset. He asked her what was wrong and she told him everything, that she was not the woman he loved, that she was a fox spirit, doomed for eternity.

'_Darling what is it? Why are you so upset?'_

'_I cannot be your wife, I just cannot lie to you anymore!'_

'_Why, what is it? Are you getting cold feet?'_

'_I cannot be your wife, I am not the woman you love, I am… cursed…'_

'_Amaya what do you mean?'_

_I.. am not human.. I am cursed with a fox spirit… I am sorry…'_

"-My father lost everything that day, he lost his soon-to-be wife, everything he had ever known, he even wished he never met her to spare him of the pain. She left him, too upset to marry him due to her curse and it left him broken. He was oblivious to the fact that his son, myself, was half cursed in the same way as my mother. Being half Kitsune I can transform into a fox at will as long as I have my beads-" He tugged on the white jewels that glistened in the moonlight. Tohru watched the boy, his face portrayed a deep sadness.

"-My father then turned his hatred towards me when he discovered that I possessed the same curse as my mother. He said I reminded him too much of her and called the head of the family to have me locked up. I was only six at the time and I can still remember the hate in his eyes, the words he spoke… all of it...

'_Daddy why are you so mean to me?'_

'_You're not my son, you're a filthy rodent, worthless, YOU ARE NOT MY SON!'_

'_Daddy… please… you're scaring me…'_

'_Get out of my sight… don't you EVER call me daddy AGAIN! I AM NOT YOUR FATHER. I DID NOT CREATE A WRETCHED CREATURE!_

'_Daddy… Daddy… DADDY!'_

"-I was taken away into a dark room with a single window. Every day the head of the family would come and ask me questions. If I did not answer he would whip me until I bled and cried out for help.

'_Why are you different to the others?'_

'_I…don't know…'_

'_You're not ANSWERING ME! Tell me NOW, tell me why you're such a REJECT! Why your own father HATES YOU!'_

'_I don't KNOW! I.. don't…. know…'_

'…_NOT GOOD ENOUGH!…'_

'_Stop… PLEASE!… you're hurting me… please… STOP!'_

"-I suffered this for too many years until a few days ago I had finally snapped and I needed to get out of there. I have suffered twelve years of pain, I deserve a normal life just like everyone else. I cannot take it anymore-"

Tohru felt her legs begin to tremble as they gave way underneath her and she slid down the tree. She put her hand over her mouth as those horrific images flooded her mind, images of that young boy, powerless. Those cries of pain, those bitter tears that he would cry every night. All he wanted was to be normal and yet everyone loathed him, detested him. She felt water droplets sting her eyes as they dribbled down her cheeks.

Kurai looked at her, his hazel eyes wide in horror, he did not mean to upset her to this degree. He could see her whole body shuddering due to her sadness. He instinctively knelt down beside her and placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. He could feel every tremor her body uttered and it made him feel sad inside, made him feel the urge to cry. She could not stop it anymore, she cried out louder than planned. All this was too much for her.

As she cried into her hands she felt strong arms wrap around her fragile body and pulled her close to a hard, yet warm chest. It was Kurai, he was holding her, comforting her. She held onto his shirt tightly and cried loudly. He gently tousled at her hair as he narrowed his eyes, this girl, she was different. She was not abhorred by him, she actually felt comfortable about being near him, maybe she could help him come to terms with living a normal life, maybe he could also help her. As a half-Kitsune he swore to himself that due to her serene nature he would look out for her always and if she ever needed him he would be there. He would always protect her. He held her tighter as she cried into his shirt. She inhaled his distinctive smell, it smelt of berries, sweet berries, but it appealed to her and she started to calm down a little. As she continued to embrace the mysterious boy she felt her eyelids grow heavy. She held him tightly, afraid to let him go in case he disappeared again, just like before. As she slowly sunk into repose she sketched his presence into her memory. She would never forget him, he was too special to forget…

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Long chapter! Phew, but it was fun to write! Awwww poor Kurai :'( lets hope everything works out! Reviews please and thanks to everyone who loves this)<strong>_


	6. Pursuit Of Accidents

_**(Is it all a dream? Tohru thinks it is but is it something more serious than that? Is Kurai a more serious part of her life than she ever expected, and what will Akito say to this? Find out!)**_

Chapter Five: Pursuit Of Accidents

The beams of sunlight shone onto her pale face as a new day began. She felt herself beginning to stir as the rays warmed her colourless face. A small hand gently rubbed her face as she opened her sleepy eyes. The azure colouring came flooding back into them as she looked around in a daze. She was in her bed? Had she dreamt all of last night? She sat up quickly and held her head, it was not possible. She had heard his voice, seen those beautiful eyes and even smelt that divine smell. There was no way she could of dreamt that. She allowed herself to awaken properly as the images from last night returned to her, how he had held her when she began to cry and then everything after that was blank. It was an odd occurrence. She shuffled out of bed to see she still had on her school uniform from yesterday, she had not even got changed into her night gown. This was all odd.

"Breakfast time! Breakfast time! All for me, breakfast time!" Shigure sang happily downstairs which alerted her. She had to make breakfast quickly and so she rushed down the stairs. As she quickly ran to the kitchen she accidentally bumped into Kyo who was taking a sip of milk from a carton. She waved her hands about, apologetically;

"Oh, I'm sorry Kyo, I did not know you was there!"

"Hey, don't worry about it-" he mumbled, placing the milk carton back in the fridge before turning around to look at her. Her face was even paler than usual, her cheeks were rosy red and her eyes were dark. He blinked at her curiously;

"Are you feeling okay Tohru? You look ill-"

"Oh no, I'm fine!" She beamed happily, rushing towards the utensils to make breakfast. He merely watched as she happily darted about the kitchen, something was wrong. He also noticed she had grass stains on her uniform and he raised an eyebrow at her. When did she allow her uniform to get so dirty? The tall relaxed figure of Shigure appeared from around the door. He smiled as the smell of breakfast delighted his senses;

"Oh how I adore the smell of a woman's cooking in the morning!" Kyo gave him a cursed look as he settled himself down at the table;

"It's too early to hear your damn voice, be quiet-" he grumbled.

"Oh dear, Kyo did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" Kyo turned his head to Shigure, he seemed more blissful than ever.

"If it wasn't for your damn singing I would STILL BE IN BED!" He cursed, making Shigure whimper slightly. Tohru listened to the heated argument and sighed, why was Kyo always so loud in the morning? She felt a slight headache coming on. This was not good. Yuki sleepily walked into the dining area, yawning wildly. He grabbed the newspaper from the table and whacked Kyo on the head with it.

"Can't you ever be quiet in the morning you stupid cat-" Kyo rubbed his head slightly as he watched Yuki walk over to the other empty seat at the table, put the newspaper down and settle into the chair. He rested his head on the table;

"Don't just blame me! It's that damn dogs fault!" Kyo moaned, pointing at Shigure who started up the innocent act again. Yuki released a sigh as he tried to wake up properly, why was he so tired in the morning? Tohru continued to create breakfast, her mind not fully on the task. For some reason the images of Kurai kept resurfacing, the way he spoke to her, the way he looked at her. It made her almost paralyzed. She replayed that moment, when he held her, how delicate he embraced her, as if she were made of glass.

* * *

><p>"Tohru!" Came an urgent voice, snapping her out of her daze. She saw Kyo grabbing her hand away from the flame on the cooker. She had burnt her hand while daydreaming and only now had the pain started to sink in. She bit into her lip as the pain intensity increased. He quickly held her hand under the tap and she watched as the cold water gently soothed the burnt area.<p>

"You gotta take more care of your self you idiot!" He grumbled as he looked at her. She weakly nodded, not really paying attention. Her eyes were almost glazed over, as if she were hypnotized. Those images resurfaced once more, those hypnotic hazel eyes, his red hair, everything. He stopped the water from pouring out of the tap and remained stationary, looking at her. She was definitely acting odd now, it was time to alert the others.

"Shigure, Tohru looks like she is a zombie or something-" The rambling dog immediately stood up alongside Yuki and they rushed to her. He looked into her eyes, she was definitely in a trance. Yuki gently tapped her face to get some sort of reaction out of her.

"This is bad-" Shigure mused, placing a hand to his chin, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. Kyo's face portrayed the sheer panic that flowed through his veins. He instinctively turned off the utensils as not to set the kitchen on fire and then continued to watch over the hypnotized girl. She did not even feel the pain anymore, the throbbing sensation that occurred due to the burn. Yuki turned to Kyo, both of them obviously worried. Just what was wrong with her.

"What's wrong with Ms. Honda?" Yuki asked, a tone of urgency sounded in his voice. Shigure sighed;

"I think she has met Kurai again-"

"WHAT?" Both the teenagers almost shouted out in unison. If that was the case this was bad, she would be hypnotised for some time, they needed to get her to Hatori and fast.

"What are we gonna do?" Kyo asked, wanting answers. Yuki continually tried to get some sense into her but to no avail. She was in a deep trance and it all happened so quickly.

"I'll phone Hatori-" Yuki mumbled, darting off quickly to the phone. Shigure watched the girl with a sorrowful look in his eyes. He sighed;

"If she has spent too much time with him then this will be harder to cure than we expect"

"What is that meant to mean?" Kyo asked. Everyone was worried, it was only natural. Tohru was never normally so careless, she never daydreamed or went into a trance. Shigure looked across to the worried cat;

"Kurai can create illusions and invade peoples minds and dreams. All it takes is for him to hold them in some way and bingo, he has permanent connection with them" Kyo's eyes widened in horror, this was worse than they expected. He was not aware of Tohru seeing Kurai, let alone hugging him. How was this even possible? Then he remembered the grass stains her saw on her uniform, that must have been the reason.

"Maybe she went out last night to see who the 'midnight' visitor was?" He mused, his voice portraying his sorrow. Shigure looked at the frozen girl. It was true, her uniform was incredibly dirty, covered with grass stains and dirt marks. He sighed and placed a hand to his head;

"Why did she ignore our advice? She has no idea the trouble this means for her, as well as us" Kyo looked downwards, he was meant to protect her, why had he failed? He clenched his hands into fists;

"It's my fault, I should of protected her. I didn't… its all my fault"

* * *

><p>She lay in a bed back at the main Sohma house, her eyes still glazed over as Hatori continually checked her vitals. He sighed as he turned to the others. It seemed as if there was actually nothing wrong with her, nothing was showing up on the monitor or when he checked her breathing through a stethoscope. Everything was normal, too normal;<p>

"She is fine according to the results-" Hatori mused, looking at the fragile girl in the bed, her eyes still open, locked off from the world. Yuki and Kyo had skipped school today, Tohru was more important than class and Shigure had made the school aware of their predicament and the school kindly sympathized. They all watched over her, all concerned.

"She is obviously not fine!" Kyo cursed, not knowing how to deal with his emotions in any other way.

"Kyo, shouting at Hatori will not help Tohru" Yuki said calmly. Kyo drooped his head so he looked at the floor. He wanted to hit out at something or to cry, but he would not cry in front of Yuki. Shigure sighed;

"What are we going to do?" He asked Hatori, who wiped his glasses on a handkerchief. He coughed uneasily as he placed them back on his nose;

"Let her rest for now, she is exhausted. Can anyone tell me what happened last night?" His mysterious eyes scanned the adolescents and then to Shigure. They all had no answer for this, they had failed to keep an eye on her. They shrugged;

"As far as we knew she went to bed and then all this happened this morning-" Yuki answered, sorrow heard in his voice. Hatori nodded at his comment and looked back at the fragile girl. Her eyes had finally closed now which meant the trance was wearing off and now she would be able to sleep peacefully.

"I suggest you leave her here to sleep it off, I'll phone you when she is awake and ready to talk-" Hatori said, putting his hands into his long white coat. They all nodded, it was the best idea, she needed rest and lots of it. They all decided it would be beneficial to go back home and wait for any news. In Kyo's mind he decided he would make it his sole priority to find that fox, to make sure he never went near to Tohru again even if it killed him. He would find Kurai and make him pay for his actions.

* * *

><p>"I heard Tohru is sick, will she be okay?" Momiji asked curiously. He had followed Yuki, Kyo and Shigure back to Shigure's house. He was always bored at the main house and considering he heard that Tohru was sick he decided it would be okay not to go to school just for today. Yuki shrugged as he sat uneasily on the sofa;<p>

"I have no idea, Ms. Honda is in a bad way right now-" Momiji's face appeared crestfallen as Yuki said those cursed words. He hoped she would be okay, to think of her being sick made him feel sad, and he hated feeling sad.

"It's that damn foxes fault!" Kyo cursed, smacking his fist off the table in anger.

"I'm used to you saying 'it's that damn rats fault', this makes a change Kyo" Shigure mumbled, trying to brighten the dismal atmosphere. All he received were evil glares from both the teenagers and he sulked away, back to his office. He was safe there. Momiji looked up at Kyo with large hazel eyes and asked;

"What has a fox got to do with Tohru?" Yuki sighed and placed a hand to his head, all this was becoming tedious. He really did not want to keep explaining the situation.

"Ms. Honda went out last night we assume, we also think she met the cursed fox-boy, Kurai and he must of touched her in some way"

"You make it sound perverted-" Kyo grumbled, not looking at any of his companions. He was too angry with himself, he should of protected her, he should of ensured she was safe, that she stayed in her room.

"I don't understand" Momiji almost whined, feeling himself get more and more upset as time passed. Kyo sighed, he wanted to hit something again. Yuki rubbed his forehead in annoyance;

"Kurai has an ability to invade peoples dreams and minds if he hugs them, in the way we transform when we hug girls he invades their minds instead and it makes it almost impossible to break the connection. It is as if he has promised himself to her and now it has resulted in her sickness-" Momiji looked at the carpet, this really was serious. He had no idea on how serious this business was. He was always kept out of bad situations but now, he was not, he was part of it.

"I hope she is okay soon-" He mumbled, his large brown eyes starting to fill with tears. The thought of her being so frail and ill in a bed, all on her own made him feel a deep sadness. Yuki sighed, sitting here, waiting for news was testing everyone's sanity, all they wanted was to see her again. They wanted to make sure she was okay and that she would recover soon. A voice sounded from Shigure's office, it was none other than the rambling dog;

"Hatori has just phoned me, Tohru is awake and okay, and he is bringing her here in thirty minutes. He is allowing her to have some food first and to tell him everything that happened" A wave of relief washed over the worried crowd as they knew that she was okay now, she would recover, the only thing they had to do was to keep her away from that cursed fox, to make sure she never saw him again.

* * *

><p>An hour passed and a knock sounded at the door. Everyone watched, eagle-eyed as Shigure casually opened the door. Hatori stood there with Tohru, she looked normal again, her face full of colour and she had a large smile plastered across her face. Shigure smiled also.<p>

"I am glad to see you looking better Tohru-"

"T-thank you, I am s-sorry for worrying everyone-" She mumbled, bowing her head. He motioned for her to enter the house as he spoke to the doctor;

"What did she tell you?" he asked, curiously. Hatori sighed;

"Not a lot, she believes that what happened last night was a dream, she cannot come to terms with it and she did not know why she was at the main house when she woke up. This is probably more serious than we thought" Shigure sighed, he rested his hand against the door frame. He mumbled quietly;

"Can't you erase her memories?"

"I could but that might not be enough, and besides if I do that she will forget about you and the others. That would probably make this issue worse-" Hatori answered calmly. Shigure weakly nodded, of course that would happen if he erased her memories. He bid a weak farewell to the doctor and closed the door. Was there anyway out of this mess? As he walked back into the living quarters he heard Momiji squeal in happiness;

"Tohru you're back!" He watched as the blond haired boy leapt at the girl, knocking her to the ground and a large puff of smoke emerged. Kyo sighed and placed a hand to his head.

"Cut it out you stupid RABBIT!" Momiji was always so hard to deal with when he was angry. As the smoke cleared a yellow rabbit hugged her knee in an endearing fashion and she smiled. She knew that Yuki and Kyo were worried about her, that everyone was but she did not know why she had spaced out like she did. One minute she was fine and then the next she had visions of Kurai.

"You feeling better now Ms. Honda?" Yuki enquired, with a forced smile. She nodded;

"Y-yes, much b-better now, thank you!"

"You should be more careful next time-" Kyo grumbled under his breath, not even looking at the girl that sat on the floor. She gently stroked the yellow rabbit that was Momiji and weakly smiled. She felt herself well up with tears again. This was all her fault, if she had listened to the others then she would not have spaced out to extent of not knowing where she was. She felt tears trickle down her cheeks as she kept her smile. Yuki noticed and looked down, they did not mean to upset her. They were scolding her as if she were a naughty child, it was wrong.

"We are sorry Ms. Honda, we are all worried that is all"

"Its okay Yuki, I understand-" She mumbled, wiping her face from her tears. She had no idea what had caused her sporadic actions. One minute she was fine but then she was visited by his voice, his face, everything captivated her. She had a feeling deep inside that this would not be the last time for her scene, she had a feeling it would occur once again. Little did she know that now she was connected to Kurai, that he knew if she was upset, happy, or depressed and where she was at all times. He could watch her every minute of the day if he pleased. He swore that he would protect her, that he would watch over her to ensure she was okay and not hurt. It was his pledge as a half Kitsune.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile back at the main Sohma house Hatori had informed Akito of Tohru's predicament. It was a serious matter, if she knew where the fox-boy was then capturing him would be easier than they first thought. Akito sat at the window once more, a sparrow perched on his finger.<p>

"Akito, are you aware of Tohru's sudden illness? She has apparently been in contact with Kurai-" Akito looked towards Hatori and mumbled in a calm voice;

"Is that so? How fortunate for us" He did not understand Akito's words, how was Tohru's illness fortunate? It would only result in her getting more and more tangled up in the deepest Sohma secret for generations. No-one was to be made aware of his existence outside the family but now that plan had failed.

"What do you mean?" Hatori asked, keeping a watchful eye on the fragile being.

"If Kurai has connected with Tohru then finding him will be easy. We just follow Tohru and then that filthy rodent will be close by" He started to laugh at his own comment which made Hatori tense up. It was true, Kurai would follow Tohru all the time but even so he was a fox for a reason, he was elusive and sneaky, catching him would be hard.

"He is a fox though, capturing him won't be easy-" Hatori issued. He watched as the sparrow flew away out of the window. Akito turned his dark eyes to Hatori and smiled;

"All we need are those beads, I have read more about his curse and if we get those beads he wears around his neck then he will be ours forever. Those beads are his soul, his heart, what keeps him alive, once we have them he will be powerless to us!" He laughed louder, a demonic laugh that filled the empty room. Hatori swallowed hard, this predicament had just got worse, Kurai was one of his kind and to find him without injury would be some result;

"How are we going to get those beads?" He asked.

"This is where our little Tohru can help us" Akito muttered, smiling a devious smile "-If she has connected with him get her to obtain those beads and then give them to us. Then he will be ours forever and he will be powerless to me!"

The laugh continued as Hatori's eyes traced the floor. This was more serious than he ever imagined, using Tohru as part of the plan seemed unnecessary but it was too late now. Akito had already decided and his decision was final…

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Oh no poor Kurai? Do you think Tohru will see him again? Will Akito ever get him locked up again? Review pleeeeassse and thank you!)<strong>_


	7. Rescue Me

_**(An intense chapter filled with sadness and excitement. What will happen in a dark forest when Tohru is alone and why hasn't she seen Kurai for a while? Find out!)**_

Chapter Six: Rescue Me

**Tohru's POV**

_~It's been several days now since I last saw Kurai. I wonder what has happened to him? Has he just left or did they actually capture him? Oh dear, I can't rest at the moment. I hope he is okay, he doesn't deserve all this torment, he seems like a really genuine person and I hope I do see him again sometime. I guess I kind of miss knowing he is around. The bags have also been left alone ever since I met him, it's as if he has disappeared. I can't even concentrate at school! This is bad, I also need to find out what I am doing for my project! Oh no, what is a girl to do? Could I ask Yuki for some help? No, he is busy with his own project, it would be unfair of me to pester him. Kyo maybe? I'm not sure, ever since the Kurai-thing he has been off with me a little and I think I should give him some space for now. I have a few ideas but I just know the others will hate it. I wanted to do a film trailer but ever since I met Kurai that is the only thing that I want to do it about, meeting him, seeing him and finding out about his tormented life. Crap, it's Friday! I must think of something over the weekend, I must! I don't want my tutor picking out a subject. I'll have a good think over the weekend and decide on something, I have to. It's end of the lesson, I must go to library before I leave. I have to return that book, luckily no-one knows about it. I will tell Yuki and Kyo to go ahead without me and then perhaps it will help me think about what I want to do for my project, maybe~_

* * *

><p>The bell rang, symbolizing the end of the school day. A wave of relief washed over all the students as the thought of being able to rest at the weekend seemed a good idea. Tohru stood up, placing all her books in her bag. She also wanted to enjoy relaxation at home without having to worry about school work for once but she knew she had to decide on her idea for her project. That was the only weight pressing down on her shoulders. It seemed everyone else in the class had decided and were already planning out what to do. She was way behind everyone else. Her azure eyes focused properly when Yuki walked over to her. He could see she was slightly troubled.<p>

"Don't worry Ms. Honda. I know you will think of something. Don't let it get you down" He smiled and she weakly nodded;

"I know Yuki, I am just so far behind the others. I know I want to do a film trailer but I don't know what about-" She released a small sigh as everyone started to leave the classroom. She walked beside Yuki as they too left the room. It was slightly awkward between both Yuki and Tohru ever since they had discovered her midnight antics in searching for Kurai. It was as if they had been betrayed by her and she felt nothing but guilt. As they left the room Yuki thought of something;

"Why don't you make a film trailer about something fantasy connected? Something that you can use special effects on?"

"That is a great idea Yuki!" She exclaimed happily. At least he was helping her even if everything was seemingly awkward. Kyo had not waited, he had left immediately. It was apparent he was angry with her for lying to them and she wished he would allow her to apologize. It was already a bad enough issue without Kyo aiding to the problem. She walked along the corridor beside Yuki and then turned to the library. She smiled;

"I'm going to go to the library for a while Yuki. You continue without me, I'll be fine!" He paused, looking at her with curious eyes and then weakly nodded. He knew that giving her some space might ease her wounds from a few days previous. He smiled;

"Okay Ms. Honda. I'll see you back at the house" She nodded and waved a small goodbye before escaping into the library to return the sacred book.

Once she stepped inside she was surprised to see that it was bustling with students, obviously either working or returning books. The queue was long, almost reaching the door and she released a sigh. Trust her to choose to return a book on the day the library was filled to the rafters. She watched as students quickly returned books and left the room, making the queue shorter as time progressed. Soon enough it was her turn and she placed the book on the table. The lady at the desk looked over her glasses and asked;

"Oh, you read our latest book on fox legends I see" Tohru nodded and smiled;

"Yes, it was really interesting!" The lady stamped the book once more and placed it in the pile with the others. She gave Tohru a kind glance;

"I am glad our students approve of our choices in books" Tohru bowed slightly, feeling uneasy. It was very rare that the librarian ever showed any emotion, let alone gratitude. She nodded and then left the library in haste, too many eyes were watching her antics right now and it was making her feel nervous. As she walked past the end of the queue she quickly glanced up at two dark figures. Two boys from another class. They smiled at her and she quickly retreated out of the room, embarrassed. Once her figure was out of sight one of the boys nudged the other, commenting;

"Man, she was cute!"

"I know, she even looked at me!" One of the boys had black hair, straight and short with dark eyes. The other was shorter with messy brown hair and blue eyes. Just your average guys in school. The one with black hair smiled as the other seemed saddened;

"You're wrong, she looked at me"

"I say after we drop off our books we search for her and ask her, then it will prove to you that it was me she looked at" The one with black hair muttered, smiling a devious smile. The other smiled the same. It was weird how the atmosphere suddenly changed from serene to creepy within a few seconds of a brief encounter.

* * *

><p>She walked down the road, towards the forest near the house. It was odd being alone on this walk, she was so used to Yuki and Kyo being with her. She did not detest this solitude however, it just made her feel slightly uneasy. She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of danger or perverts. Apparently, according to Shigure they preferred to hang around this forest due to how secluded it was. Every time she thought back to that she shivered, Shigure's fables were not the best to tell at the best of times. She continued to walk, holding her school bag tightly. She thought about school. and how it was strange for the librarian to enquire about her choice in books. That had never happened before, the librarian was so distant from students that it seemed as if she were devoid of emotion. Well, perhaps she was mellowing with old age.<p>

Suddenly the wind started to get violent, clawing at her face angrily, making her shiver. The cold rush entered her bones, it was odd for the weather to change so abruptly like that. She walked slightly quicker, wanting to be safe indoors and to be warm once more. A snapping twig behind her made her freeze instantly. Her heart thundered, that was always a sign that it could be Kurai, was he here? Quickly she turned around, almost in hope until her eyes met a set of two. One of brown and the other of blue. She thought, why had two guys from school followed her out here?

"Hello cutie" The one with black hair said softly, giving her a seductive look. She started to feel nervous.

"Oh hi, ummm…why are you following me?" she asked, her naivety shining through. The one with messy brown hair smiled;

"You don't remember us at the library? You looked straight at us and got all embarrassed" Tohru thought, did she? She did not recognise the boys, they were obviously not from her class. Nevertheless she smiled innocently;

"I am sorry, I don't remember you. You don't look familiar, I am sorry if there has been a misunderstanding-" Their faces transformed almost immediately from sickly sweet to almost monstrous. Their eyes darkening which resulted in Tohru's heart starting to shudder deep within. Perhaps saying that was not the best of ideas. One of the boys neared her;

"You can't just lead us on like that, you can't give us the come on and then go cold on us!" The one with black haired screeched at her, making her wince. She backed away until she had smacked into a tree. She watched helpless as the boys continued to approach her, what had she done to deserve this? She felt her whole body begin to convulse violently. She was scared and Yuki and Kyo were not here to protect her.

"I…I…" She started, trying to apologize. The taller of the boys moved forward, grabbing her wrist with force. She struggled trying to get his deathly grasp off her. The other boy watched, it was apparent he did not want any part of this but he still stood there watching. He was still a part of it. Her azure eyes filled with water as she felt her body being forcefully slammed against the tree. The pain flooded her system. Why were they doing this?

"Don't give me excuses you filthy whore!" The one with black hair growled, allowing his grip on her wrist to increase. His other hand grabbed her right shoulder to keep her from escaping. She closed her eyes, were they going to rob her? Or worse? She felt her legs tremble underneath her, she was terrified. She hoped that someone would help her but right now no-one was around. She turned her head away, trying to keep away from the leering, dark-haired boy. His hand started to wonder from her shoulder to her neck making her shudder at his touch. It was horrible, it made her want to vomit violently. He started to gently stroke her neck and up to her cheek, admiring her soft, beautiful skin.

"You have made me very angry Missy, you will pay for leading me on like that!" He issued at her, a hungry look seen in his eyes. She bit into her lip, almost tasting blood inside her mouth. The other boy watched on, his eyes showing a sadness but he would not intervene, he knew better it seemed. She felt his hand move from her cheek and down to her chest, grabbing her quickly as he neared his mouth to her neck, kissing her hungrily. She struggled in vain, the boy's force was too strong, she was powerless and now he was going to have his way with her. There was nothing she could do. She felt tears sting her eyes as they flowed down her cheeks in terror. She wished she had asked Yuki to walk with her, that she had not told him to leave. This was all her fault and now she was going to be left broken. She kept her eyes tightly closed, feeling the willpower drain from her. Was this the end?

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><p>Suddenly she heard rustling beside her and then she felt the boy be pulled violently from her quaking body. Was it the other boy who did that? She quickly opened her eyes to see the boy who had attacked her being held by his throat. Then he was slammed against a tree with full force. A mass of red hair was clearly seen and immediately she felt relieved. The boy found it difficult to breathe as the hand on his throat tightened.<p>

"How dare you hurt Tohru like that, you sick bastard! I'll make you pay for this!" He slammed the boy against the tree again. The other boy had now decided to run away, like a coward. Tohru moved away from the tree slowly, she was so happy and relieved that Kurai was here, protecting her like he had said he would. The other boy began to wheeze due to lack of oxygen filling his lungs. He weakly uttered;

"I…I… am… s-sorry…" Kurai gave him a wicked grin as he balled his other hand into a fist and smacked it into the boys stomach causing him to cough violently. His hazel eyes darkened as he retorted;

"Sorry won't cut it mate. How about I smack you up against a tree like this?" He smashed the boy against the tree once more, seeing pain scar his countenance.

"How about I threaten to rape you just like you did with that girl?" Kurai whispered into the boys ear making him convulse in terror. The boy started to cry, loudly. It was apparent that Kurai had really scared him and Tohru was relieved he was here. The boy tried to hold back the tears but it was to no avail. Kurai smiled, that was enough for now. He let the trembling boy out of his grasp and watched as he ran off, screaming, out of sight. Kurai turned to see that they had gone and felt pleased with himself. He would never allow anyone to hurt her, she had defended him till the end and he had sworn to protect her so now it was his turn to save her.

Shortly after that incident he felt arms grab him from behind and embrace him gently.

"Thank you so much Kurai! I am so happy you rescued me!" He knew whose arms they belonged to, Tohru's. He started to feel embarrassed, it was not very often he would get thanked for helping. He quickly turned around, her arms letting him go as he looked at her through warm hazel orbs. He gently held her wrist and looked intently at the finger marks that boy had left on her fragile framework.

"Sick bastards, I can't believe he was going to rape you. Fucking dickhead!" He cursed angrily, not quite believing that some boys were capable of that. It was wrong on so many levels. Tohru looked downwards, she felt another urge to cry for an unknown reason. Realisation was finally starting to sink in, that boy was going to rape her and if Kurai had not intervened he would of left her broken and abused. The thought of it reduced her to a shadow of her former self. She sniffled, trying to hold back the tears. Kurai gently stroked her wrist, which was red from the boy's deadly grasp. He hoped that he had saved her just in time, it was fortunate he had made that connection with her previously, he knew exactly where she was when this occurred, luckily. She sniffled once again;

"How d-did… you k-know I was…here?" she asked quietly.

"I swore to protect you. I have a connection with you now so I know when you're in trouble or if you are happy or sad. I feel it deep inside-" He placed a hand to his chest to symbolize his speech. She nodded weakly, she was very fortunate and lucky that Kurai helped. How could anyone condemn this innocent creature? He allowed her wrist free from his touch and gave her a warm smile. He did not want to see her looking so sad and depressed, he wanted to see her smile, to see her happy.

"I am s-so… grateful Kurai, How c-could… I ever thank y-you enough?" She mumbled, stuttering a little on her words. He looked at the girl who was still trembling due to the fear and thought. All he wanted was her safety, he was not malicious in any way, not unless he lost his temper. His gaze softened;

"You do not need to thank me Tohru, it is my duty to protect you. As long as you're okay then i'm happy" He smiled and she felt herself start to cry once more. He was so kind, so honest and sincere. How could anyone class him as evil and cunning? He was far from that. As the water droplets fell from her eyes and down her cheeks she instinctively wrapped her arms around Kurai, burying her head into his black top. She cried out loudly, she could not contain it anymore, this was too much. He looked down at her, at how she desperately clung to him for dear life. It was odd, this had never occurred to him before, he was used to people hating him, detesting him. He felt a slight wave of happiness for that moment. He wrapped his own arms around the shuddering girl and whispered;

"Tohru don't cry, it's okay. Nothing will happen to you while I'm around" She nodded into his shirt, indicating without words. He felt his cursed heart start to beat quicker than the usual monotone rhythm and it made him slightly nauseous. What was this feeling? Whatever it was made him feel as if he were on cloud nine and he actually liked it. Gently he combed his fingers through her hair as the grip on his top loosened. She was calming down, that was a relief. He heard her speak;

"I r-really wish there… was s-something I could do… for you to be a-accepted… so no-one hates you… so y-you receive love and devotion… you deserve it" He chuckled quietly.

"You're silly, it is fine. I know my role in life now, even if I am hated by all, it does not matter. As long as someone accepts me for who I am then I have a role in life. I have a purpose and I will fulfill it" He smiled as he pulled her away from him for a moment to look at her face. Her eyes were red and sore, her nose was stuffy and her cheeks were tinted in a red hue. She looked so full of despair and sorrow. He gently wiped her cheeks, to remove the tears that scarred them.

"Please promise me you will not cry anymore" he asked, looking into her eyes as he gently held her face in his hands. She nodded weakly, inhaling in his distinctive smell. It was so alluring and tantalizing.

"Thank you-" He whispered as he pulled her into another hug and they embraced once more, both hearts beating the same upbeat rhythm, as if they were connected somehow. It was as if this were a part of fate's devious plan in her life, the plan to change the balance of things, to alter the axis. The plan to ensure Kurai was not an outcast anymore and that she was the one who held the key to his freedom…

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><p><em><strong>(Awwww cute chapter! I love Kurai! I hope everyone actually does not hate him : Poor Tohru! Reviews pleeeease, and thanks!)**_


	8. In My Arms

_**(I want to say thanks to everyone who likes this fic and everyone who has added it to their favourites. Please do not be afraid to review, even if it is short or whatever. I love hearing peoples views on it, and what people want from the story. Thank you all and here is the next instalment. Enjoy~!**_

Chapter Seven: In My Arms

Kurai's POV

_That dark, cold room I remembered it well, I remembered the ill-omened shadows that danced across the walls when I was too scared to sleep. I remembered the crucifying sound when the whip came into contact with my fragile skin, i knew it all too well. I did not want to go back there, to that incessant torture. Back to those times when Akito would torture me to the extent of wanting to die, anything was better than this life. I had believed that, but one day I blew the fuse, I wanted out of this hell and I decided now was the only time to do it. I had succeeded in my plan and had escaped into the big wide world just beyond my prison. I was homeless, without any shelter or friends of any sort. I was alone. I decided to wonder around the area known as the outside world and see if I could find anywhere to inhabit. _

_Luckily for me I did, I found a house in the middle of nowhere and it was occupied. This was a turn of fortune. At least if I was in fox form I could survive on the scraps they put in the bin bags every night. There was also a nice forest to conceal myself in, it was the best haven so far. I'll have to admit, living on my own does test the sanity, knowing that everyone hates you or is frightened of you because of stupid legends. People fail to realize that I am only half Kitsune and half human so I do feel emotions. I get hurt by the constant rejection that I receive from everyone. Even my own family hated me._

_ Then one fortunate day I went back to human form and heard talking, it was from the people who inhabited the house. Because I am the curious type I went to see who it was. There were two boys and girl, the boys I recognised, they were Sohma's, just like myself. I hesitated and just listened to the conversation. I heard the girl defending my species while the boys mocked it, and said horrible things. I started to think, that girl she did not agree with them, she defended me without even knowing I was there. It really affected me somehow, like I knew she would understand me, she would understand my torment. I needed to see her properly and so later that day I discovered where she went to school. I made a plan to pretend to be hurt and to sprawl myself out on the school premises. Luckily for me she arrived to aid me and it was only then I saw her properly. She was so innocent and angelic it seemed too cruel to get her involved in my twisted life. Those eyes, they were so clear and full of naivety. I knew when she saw me she had no idea at how messed up my life actually was._

_I retreated shortly afterwards, I did not want the other Sohma boys to know about my appearance. It would only make things worse. While running away I thought about things, about her. Would it be okay to allow her into my life? For her to save me from the darkest pit of night? Would she run away if she knew that I was cursed with the fox spirit? Thinking about it did not ease my mind so I decided to actually confront her, and that night I came to the garden once more. I was surprised to see she actually put food out for me and was in the garden. I sensed she was asleep so I made a noise to startle her out of her slumber, and it worked. I felt happy deep inside, now was the time. I lead her to the forest outside her garden and ran off to transform in privacy. Once transformed I reappeared and I still remember how scared she was, how her angelic face changed to terror in a matter of minutes. It was only natural, after all, I think I would freak out if I was in that position. I found myself telling her my life story, everything, the curse, the pain I received and then to my amazement she cried. She actually sympathized with my woes and that was when I knew she was the key to my freedom. She would help me change my life, to help me live a normal life and I made that pledge. I would always protect her no matter what._

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><p>"Kurai?" A nervous voice entered the red-headed boy's ears as he snapped out of his daydreaming state. He blinked curiously as they walked through the forest;<p>

"Are you feeling okay?" Tohru asked again, looking at his face, worry scarring those perfect features. He looked across to her and nodded, giving her a smile;

"I am fine, I was just thinking about things-" She thought, it seemed that he still was a troubled soul, even if she was there for company. It was apparent that twelve years of torture would affect anyone's sanity to some degree. She gave him a warm smile;

"You know you can always tell me things if they are on your mind" He looked downwards and nodded. He did not want to constantly burden the innocent girl with his woes and troubles. It was, after all, unfair on her. She was so pure, so fragile and this world was ominous and cruel.

"I know, thank you" He said in a quiet voice, his hazel eyes scanning the forest. Luckily for both of them it was secluded, no-one could see him with her, no-one knew that he was here. That was the bliss of choosing this place to inhabit. Tohru found herself thinking deeply, she wondered if Kurai actually lived anywhere near to the house. Considering he had escaped it did not seem likely. She swallowed hard, feeling nervous.

"Kurai, do you have any place to stay right now?" He paused in his walking action which resulted in her doing the same. He looked at the ground, a sorrow clearly seen. He released a small sigh and shook his head;

"No, I am afraid not. I live in the forest in my fox form-" Tohru's face transformed from confusion to determination as she clasped her hands together and looked up at Kurai's face;

"Oh no you can't live in the forest! You must stay at Shigure's house! I insist!" He found himself chuckling to her request, it was out of the question. He knew that the other Sohma's would immediately alert Akito of his whereabouts and then he would be hauled off back to the prison. He shook his head;

"I can't do that, the others know about me and they would tell Akito so I would be took back to that prison. Thank you for the offer anyway" Tohru looked downwards, there must have been something she could do to help. She would not be able to rest knowing he was living rough in the forest with no shelter or food. It was wrong. Then an ingenious idea came to her, it was risky but for an unknown reason she dared to take the risk this time;

"You can stay in my room. I will make sure no-one knows you are there, at least then you will have shelter and food" He placed a hand to his chin, he wondered if this was actually a good idea. If Tohru got caught she was just as condemned as he was, helping a cursed fox spirit was considered almost blasphemous to the family. She would also be kicked out of the family and then they both would be outcasts. He looked into her eyes, the sheer determination that beheld in them. He could not help but weakly nod. She smiled as he muttered;

"Okay then, if you insist Tohru" She immediately threw her arms around him and held him close, happy that she had found a loophole in this dilemma. He could not help but smile with her as he held the fragile girl in his arms, the one who would be the element to his survival.

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><p>Back at the Sohma house Kyo and Yuki were becoming impatient. Tohru was taking far too long to get back home safely and now they were beginning to worry about if she was okay. Yuki sighed as he tapped his fingers nervously against the table, he wished he had offered to walk with her, at least then he would of known that she was safe and sound. Kyo was agitated also, being silent instead of boisterous. Both the teenagers looked at each other for a moment and sighed. They were so apprehensive.<p>

"If you are so worried why don't you go out and look for her?" Shigure suggested, as he walked out of his office to grab some food from the kitchen. Kyo looked at Yuki once more, it was as if he were trying to mentally reach out to him in some way. Another sigh was released from Yuki, this was not good for the positive energy in the house.

"I'll go-" Kyo retorted weakly, standing up from his position.

"Do you think Ms. Honda will appreciate seeing you? After all, ever since the Kurai incident you have been distant with her" Yuki added in, looking up at the orange haired boy. He shrugged off Yuki's comment and walked out of the house. Yuki looked to Shigure who was munching on a rice ball.

"I wonder what's keeping her?" Yuki pondered as he resumed nervously tapping his fingers against the table. Shigure shrugged;

"Kyo will find her no doubt, lets just wait until then. There is no point in panicking over nothing is there?" It was true, they did not know what was keeping her, it could have been school related. Kyo would find her soon enough and then they could ask her themselves.

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><p>He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked out into the forest. This was such a chore, why didn't Yuki walk home with her like usual? Then all this would have been prevented. He sighed, keeping an ever watchful eye out for her. He was sure to interrogate her for this. As he walked he heard voices and felt himself stop. He peered behind one large tree to see the figures who were talking. One was Tohru but the other was the one blamed for her downfall, the one who caused all this trouble. As they neared Kyo listened to the conversation, making sure he was not detected by them.<p>

"So, you want to do a film trailer?" He heard Kurai's cursed voice and instantly felt like pummelling him to the ground. He was already angry enough. Then he heard Tohru speak;

"Yes, but I am not sure what on. Yuki suggested doing something fantasy related so I could use special effects"

"That is a good idea, do you have any ideas yet?" Kurai asked, sending shivers down Kyo's spine. He could almost feel his presence coming closer and he balled his hands into fists. He could not lash out however, Tohru was there and she would hate him for an eternity if he did. He decided to remain concealed and just listened to the conversation.

"Well, I wanted to do it based on you-" Tohru muttered quietly. This got Kyo's curiosity bursting at the seams and so he peered carefully around the tree. He saw both Kurai and Tohru standing still as they talked. So this was the reason for her lateness? He saw how embarrassed she got while talking to Kurai, just in the same manner as she used to with him. It made Kyo's blood boil, why was another person taking his place? Next he saw Kurai look surprised and then smile;

"Well that is flattering, can I ask why?" That cursed voice of his rung in Kyo's ears, he really was infuriated right now. He watched as Tohru nervously fidgeted on the spot.

"Because I wanted people to be aware of your pain and torment. I want others to understand you, to like you and to want to be your friend" Kyo grimaced, _how sickly sweet was that speech_? He watched as Kurai started to get embarrassed also, _what was this? Some kind of soap opera?_

"You're far too kind to me Tohru-" He heard him start up. "-I don't' deserve all this"

"But you do!" She butted in. Kyo watched in anger as she grabbed Kurai's hand, her eyes portraying something he had never seen before. She had never looked at him in the same manner as she was doing with that cursed fox boy. What did he have that Kyo did not? Again he watched Kurai, how his appearance was similar to his own only he was better looking. It made Kyo furious, right now he wanted to smash up that pretty little face, then what had he got going for him?

"Tohru, you're making me embarrassed" Kurai uttered in an almost whisper as he turned away. Kyo watched as she kept her grip on his hand. _Why wouldn't she let him go?_ These questions just did not seem to be getting answers right now. He watched as she looked downwards;

"I am sorry, I was wondering if you could help me with my project? If I am doing it about you then you must be in it" The anger was increasing with every second, how did Kyo have so much self control right now? This meant that Tohru would see Kurai a lot more and this was bad. He watched Kurai nod to her comment;

"Of course I will-" He smiled, _that stupid cutesy smile_. "-after all, you have helped me. It is the least I could do" Kyo kept his eyes peeled at their actions, he watched as she hugged him tightly. He did not transform when she embraced him, unlike the others. Kyo felt slightly jealous of that fact. There had been many times he wanted to hug Tohru but could not due to his curse but Kurai could, how was that possible? He kept his watch on them, at how that cursed boy held Tohru, as if he had her right where he wanted her. It was wrong and Kyo had to tell Shigure and Yuki about this. This was bad.

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><p>Tohru inhaled his scent, how divine it was and her heart started to thunder deep within. What was this feeling? It was different to what she felt for both Yuki and Kyo, it was something stronger. She enjoyed how warm he was against her, how she could hold him whenever she wanted and he would not transform. It was perfect. She held him tighter, not wanting to let go. It was as if she would never see him again, that she did not want this moment to end.<p>

"I will make sure everyone understands you Kurai-" She whispered as they embraced. He smiled, she was doing so much for him even though many would deem it as unnecessary due to his curse. She saw through the ominous veil and wanted to reach out to the human side of him, the side that no-one ever saw. He found himself gently playing with her hair as they held each other. It was so soft and delicate, just like she was.

"Thank you-" He murmured, his own heart starting up a peculiar rhythm, in the same manner as her own. He did not detect Kyo's eyes watching their scene unfold, he did not sense the danger. After some time the embrace ended and they continued to walk closer to the house. Tohru's face shining in joy, perhaps she was happy that she could spend time with him right now? That he did not need to run away and hide like he had been doing. That he was more human than the other Sohma's.

"When are you starting on this project?" Kurai enquired as they walked closer to the house.

"Monday-" she answered. There was a flaw to this plan, they would be filming at school and Kurai did not go to the school. How would she get around that?

"At school?" He asked and she nodded.

"I will have to ask my tutor if I can borrow a camcorder outside of school times to do it then" Kurai nodded, it was touching how she desired to make her own project centred around himself, about his life. It was a way of expressing all the pain and anger that he had felt throughout the years.

They continued to walk, the house coming into view. He could not go closer to the house, in case the others saw him. He paused, making Tohru stop. She knew as well as he did. He had to leave now. She swallowed hard, finding it harder than she thought to say goodbye right now. They were just getting to know each other better and now the time was cut so short. She looked up at his face;

"I have to go now, I can't go any closer to the house in case they see me" He informed, seemingly saddened by this predicament. She weakly nodded, releasing a small sigh from her frame. If only things were easier and he would actually get welcomed into the house by Yuki and the others. Maybe she could talk to them?

"I understand-" she murmured, trying to hide the fact this predicament was upsetting. He smiled;

"It is okay, I know my place in this world. I am still hated by them at the moment so I have to keep away"

"I wish things were different-" she retorted, looking at the ground. The world was such a cruel place to the good people, the bad ones got away with everything yet good natured citizens got punished for nothing. As she looked downwards she felt something warm touch her hand. Her eyes trailed down to see Kurai had held her hand in his.

"They will eventually, for now you must be patient" He assured her, giving her a comforting smile. She gently squeezed his hand as she knew she had to say goodbye until another time, a time she was unsure of. He was unpredictable at the best of times, coming and going whenever he pleased. As she kept her eyes focused downwards she felt his other hand gently caress her cheek. This immediately made her look upwards to his perfect face, those perfect eyes, his perfect hair, everything. How she wanted him to be accepted right now, to be able to be seen with him and not have to worry about him being captured by Akito.

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><p>Kyo continued to watch, his blood boiling in rage as he saw Kurai gently touch her face. <em>Why was she letting him do that<em>? It was wrong, some-one as cursed and as wretched as the fox boy should do ever have happiness. He did not see it fitting enough for him, he only deserved to be punished for his actions. He kept listening to the soft words spoken by both unaware teenagers.

"I hope it will be sooner rather than later. I hate not knowing if I am going to see you again" He heard Tohru mumble, sadness heard in her voice. _Was she crying_? His hands tightly clenched into fists at his side, he wanted to hit him, to put him in his place right now.

"You will see me again, I promise" Kurai assured her, still keeping his hand on her cheek. Her eyes completely consumed in his.

It was causing Kyo to think of deadly thoughts, right now he wanted to kill him, to make his species extinct. Tohru was too naïve and innocent to fall into his deathly clutches. He watched on, this scene seemed to be never ending it was making him feel nauseous. He felt every muscle in his body tighten as he watched the innocent girl move towards the cursed fiend. This scene he had wanted in his own mind, to see her so close to him, to have her near his face in the same way she was doing right now to Kurai. Kyo watched, feeling disgust create a knot inside his stomach as she gently reached upwards and pressed her lips against the cursed boy's cheek. Kyo shook his fist violently, he did not think he could control his anger right now, seeing this made him want to pummel him. Nevertheless he continued watching, hoping that would be the end of this sickening scene. He was wrong, how more wrong could he have been? He heard another soft voice, it was Tohru;

"Thank you-"

His amber eyes widened in horror as he saw the red-headed cursed boy gently reach down and capture her lips with his own. _What, they were kissing?_ He could not prevent himself anymore, he smashed his fist off the tree in anger, feeling the sudden rush of pain enter his system. That was it, the final straw. He would make Kurai pay for that, there was no way he was allowing that fiend have Tohru, even if it meant dying in the process, he would ever allow it. He would not allow this damned love blossom into something more, not while he was around…

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><p><em><strong>(Oh no, what will happen next? Will Kurai and Tohru ever know about Kyo watching them? What will Kyo do? Will he catch Kurai? Review pleeeease and thank you to everyone!)<strong>_


	9. My Light In The Dark

_**(There is a poll on my profile page about this fic, please vote on whether or not you think Kurai will have his happy ending or not. It will alter my decisions on this fic. Thank you all and here is the next instalment, enjoy~!**_

Chapter Eight: My Light In The Dark

**Kyo's Pov**

_~That damned fox-boy, why did he have to go and kiss Tohru like that? What makes it worse was that she actually let him! I don't get it, what does he have that I don't? Is it the fact he doesn't transform when she hugs him? Meh, why the hell should I even be caring about this, after all, I am the frikkin' cat. Why did I ever assume Tohru to actually return my feelings? Am I stupid? It is obvious that she likes that damned fox, the red-headed freak. Maybe I should go to Akito and tell him everything, about his meeting with her? That would get him out of the picture for good then. I would do that if I knew it would not upset her but she would cry non stop and we would never hear the end of his stupid name. I really dunno what to do right now and it's making me angry. At least he has gone now and she has gone inside the house, maybe I should go back too. No, not just yet, I am still too riled up yet and it will only cause me to shout at her. Man, I am so stupid. I need to talk to her about his, to find out what she actually feels for that filthy rodent. Right now I hate him more than that damned rat. I never thought I would say that but right now foxy boy is on my hit list and I will make him pay for his actions, even if it is the last thing I do~_

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><p>Her heart still remained on cloud nine as she entered the house. Kurai had kissed her and it was such a sudden shock to her system. She almost felt her legs tremble as his lips gently connected with hers. It was something she never expected, she never believed that a boy cursed with a fox spirit could harbour emotions of that level. It was a pleasant surprise and she could not erase the smile that scarred her lips. She walked into the kitchen to see both Shigure and Yuki looking worried, Yuki more so than Shigure. Had she been out that long?<p>

"Ms. Honda where have you been?" Yuki asked, his eyes portrayed the anxiety that was contained within his body. She giggled to relieve some of the tension, how could she say she had been with Kurai all this time?

"I ran into Uo and Hana on the way home and we got talking, I guess I forgot about the time" Yuki looked across to Shigure who merely shrugged. The good thing about this was she was safe and sound, even though Yuki had already written her off. He forced a smile;

"Next time please call us or something. We were all worried-" She bowed down quickly, she did not intend to worry them to this degree. Talking about the real reason for her lateness would only conjure up a bad presence within the house and so she pushed it to the back of her mind for now.

"I will be more careful next time-" She answered.

"Well I am glad this is all settled-" Shigure blissfully sang, receiving an evil glance from Yuki. He hated it when Shigure did that, when he was so happy just after a scene of worrying and apprehension.

"Don't you think you should carry on with your novel? Your editor will be spitting feathers if you don't" Yuki commented, hoping to get the rambling dog out of the room. It worked and he chuckled as he escaped the room. This left both Yuki and Tohru in the kitchen alone. She nervously looked downwards, she hated lying to them but it was necessary. They all abhorred Kurai to the extent of wanting him dead or locked away and she did not want that. Yuki looked on at Tohru, his dark mysterious eyes not revealing any of his inner emotions. It was odd that Kyo had not returned yet, after all, he did go out to find Tohru.

"Have you seen Kyo at all?" Yuki asked, trying not to sound to worried about the cat's disappearance. Tohru shook her head as she raised her eyes to him. Kyo was missing? Since when?

"No I haven't, why do you ask Yuki?" He sighed, placing a hand to his forehead.

"That stupid cat went out to find you. He must of run off somewhere again-" For that moment she froze, Kyo went out to look for her? Did he see her with Kurai? She shook off that thought and tried to remain calm, Kyo would of obviously made a scene if he did, he was a hot-headed boy.

"I haven't seen him" Tohru repeated, watching Yuki turn his back to her and start to wash his hands. It would soon be time for lunch and it was Tohru's job to make the meals. She decided to take her mind off things and she had better make a move so she walked over to the cupboard. As she rummaged through to find the ingredients Yuki dried his hands on a towel.

"It is of no concern to me. I just thought you meant a lot to him, seems like he is a coward after all-" He commented. Tohru pulled out a packet of rice and placed it on the counter.

"He probably got caught up somewhere-" she defended him, opening the packet with her hands. Yuki weakly shook his head, Kyo never got caught up, he was always a coward and if things got too much he would always run away. He decided against debating the issue and left the kitchen, leaving Tohru alone to cook the lunch.

* * *

><p>In the forest Kyo walked, idly minding his own business. He contemplated if he should search for Kurai and warn him off Tohru without her being aware of the fact. Would that help matters? He shook his head as he angrily strode onwards, not knowing exactly where he was headed to. He needed time alone, time to think. She was making her own project about Kurai? That did not seem to register deep inside his brain cells, why would she even do that? He did not deserve the salvation she was offering, he deserved to be punished. In rage he punched another tree as he continued to walk.<p>

He walked past a mass of large trees, all towering over his body, coloured in deep greens and browns. Kyo did not detect the presence lurking nearby. He did not sense two hazel eyes looking at him, nor did he pick up on the distinct aroma that emitted from his pours. As Kyo walked onwards, away from the house Kurai poked his head from behind the tree, his eyes narrowed. He knew that Kyo had been watching him, he knew he was angry and he knew that this would not make things easy. Would confronting him make the issue worse? He remained motionless, watching the orange haired boy walk onwards, his destination unknown. As he watched him Kurai felt a sadness, Kyo was just the same as he was yet he hated him just as much as the others. His hatred was not only due to his fox spirit but also due to the fact Tohru sympathized with him to a larger degree, that she was prepared to do anything to save him from the pits of hell itself. Kyo was still classed as an outsider and Tohru had completely ignored him now.

* * *

><p><strong>A few hours later~<strong>

After lunch was done and dusted Tohru retired to her room, she took off her uniform and had already got into her pyjamas. She decided to start planning out what she would do for her project, and now she actually had the idea she needed to create a script and storyboard. It was difficult due to Kurai's absence. He was the only one who could help her. She placed some leftovers from lunch on a plate on her bedside table, and turned on her lamp. She sat comfortably on her bed with all her project papers. Her azure eyes scanned over their form. It stated it needed to be personal to her and she wondered. How could she make this personal? It was not about her life, it was about Kurai's. Her brow furrowed in thought as she grabbed a pen and tapped it against her chin in thought. Her eyes kept wondering to her open window, hoping that Kurai would appear and help her in her quest. He did not and it was 7:30pm now. Had he left once more? She sighed and tried to think, how could she make this personal? Her mind whirled with thoughts, of how happy she felt when he hugged her, how his smell was so distinctive and alluring and how she felt like she was on ecstasy when he kissed her. That was it, she had the idea. Quickly she scribbled down on the paper the ideas she had;

**Title: The Mysteries Of A Fox-Child**

**Summary: A girl finds a boy lost in a forest, only to discover he is cursed with a fox spirit. In her search in helping him find salvation she ends up falling in love with him.**

She paused, it seemed like a plausible idea, at least now it was personal. She smiled to herself, the ideas were flowing smoothly now. Suddenly a knock at her door alarmed her, she called out;

"Yes?"

"What are you doing in there Ms. Honda?" Yuki asked from behind her door. She breathed a sigh of relief, at least it was only Yuki. She believed honesty was the best policy right now.

"I am working on my individual project" There was a pause;

"Oh that is good Ms. Honda, I am going out to look for Kyo. He is still not home and Shigure insists I find him" She smiled to herself, that meant everyone would be out, apart from Shigure but he never came into her room, he always remained in his study.

"Okay no problem Yuki" She beckoned to him, listening intently to another word from the collected rat.

"I'll see you in the morning Ms. Honda, sleep well" He issued before leaving the door. She could hear his faint footsteps escaping down the stairs. Her azure eyes looked down at her page once more. At least she had made a start. She tapped the pen against her chin once again, thinking. What else could she write about? Then she started busily scribbling down the ideas;

**Characters:**

**Fox-boy= Kurai**

**The girl= Me**

**Extras= Uo and Hana**

**The Evil one=**

She paused, who would play the one who hurt Kurai? Everyone she knew already hated him and so it would be difficult. Maybe Yuki would comply? He seemed easier to talk to right now. Kyo was out of the question, it was apparent he wanted no part in this or in her life. He had took off out of an act of cowardice, not giving anyone a second thought. She sighed and placed her pen down, this was going nowhere right now. She needed Kurai to help her, he knew more about his life than she did. If he was here then the ideas would flow onwards better.

* * *

><p>Just beyond her window she heard a scratching noise, this alerted her immediately. She shot up off her bed and walked over to her window. As she looked down at the soft grass beneath her she was startled by a figure leaping up onto the window ledge. She stumbled backwards, her eyes wide in shock. It was Kurai, he was here. She could not help but smile when the realisation hit her. At least now she would be able to continue with her project. He jumped off the ledge and brushed off his clothes. He could see her apparent happiness and found himself smiling too;<p>

"See? I told you I would see you again" He said in a cheeky manner.

"I am pleased to see you-" She answered, pointing with her hand over to the table "-I got you some food from dinner, I made extra for you" His hazel eyes looked across to the plate, which was covered with rice balls and salmon. The rice balls were packed with fruit and he could not help but be overjoyed. He walked over to the plate and picked it up.

"You shouldn't of gone to so much trouble-" He mused as he looked at the appetising food on the plate. He settled down on the bed as she looked at him. She shook her head madly, waving her arms about frantically;

"Oh no it was no trouble at all! I wanted to make you some food, after all, you are only living off scraps and that is not good for you" He inspected the food and picked up one of the rice balls. As he began to eat it Tohru kept an eye on his face, watching for any change in his expression. He smiled after eating one;

"This is really good!" He commented, already reaching for another. Tohru felt herself begin to blush at his compliment, even though the others always complimented her culinary skills it was odd to hear it from an outsider. She walked over and settled her small figure beside the hungry boy, who quickly ate the food she had prepared. She could not help but feel content at watching him eat something substantial, knowing that it was not the scraps he was accustomed to eating. As he devoured the last rice ball his eyes scanned the mess of papers beside him. He picked one up and looked at it. He read what she had put so far and weakly smiled;

"Ah, so that is your idea" He mused, as he gave her a cheeky look. She felt her cheeks begin to burn once more. She was definitely blushing and she quickly covered her face with her hands;

"I…I.. I am s-sorry! Just… the t-tutor told us to m-make…it personal!" Kurai could not help but chuckle at her embarrassment. He got up and placed the empty plate on the table before sitting beside her once more. She was still hiding her face. Gently he placed a hand on her shoulder;

"Hey, no need to be embarrassed about it. I haven't complained about it have I?" She slowly removed her hands from her face and looked into his hazel eyes. It was true, he had not said anything about it. She quickly nodded, looking away instantly. This was starting to become more and more nerve racking as time lingered on.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile out in the forest Yuki continued his long search for Kyo. He had looked almost everywhere and was starting to doubt that he was even here. Perhaps he had gone back to his Master? Yuki released a long sigh until his dark eyes perceived something. He looked to one of the trees, it had been hit, some of the bark had been indented. Kyo had been here and by the looks of it he was not a happy kitten. Yuki walked the way the indention pointed, hoping to find the elusive, sulking orange top. At least then things would be a lot more clearer. As he carefully stepped over a tree root that had risen out of the ground he peered behind it to see a mass of orange hair. It was Kyo, he was sure of it. He found himself walking towards him. Kyo was sitting down, not paying attention to his surroundings.<p>

"Hey you stupid cat, what are you doing sulking out here?" Came Yuki's cold voice which made him turn around. Once his eyes came into contact with Yuki's dark orbs he turned around again. He huffed;

"It's nothing to do with you-" Slowly Yuki settled his figure beside the angry cat and resting his arms on his knees. He sighed as he looked up at the darkening sky;

"Kyo you can't just runaway when things get tough. You have got to be more mature about this-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Kyo cursed, his fists shaking in anger. Yuki looked on, he knew Kyo was not angry at him directly, he was lashing out due to another reason and he would find it out. He said in a calm voice;

"Kyo please just listen to me. I am not here to fight or argue for once, I am here for you to tell me what is wrong. Why are you out here on your own? Why didn't you find Ms. Honda?" Kyo paused, his fists still trembling as he smashed them into the dirt. Yuki could see that Kyo's eyes were red, he had been crying. Something had definitely happened out here. It took a while until he choked out some words;

"I am so stupid-" He grabbed his head in his hands as his whole body trembled violently. Yuki merely watched on, this was unlike the hot-headed boy, normally nothing would affect him to this degree.

"What has happened?" Yuki asked, careful in case Kyo lashed out at him. He did not, he weakly returned;

"I saw Tohru-" His grip on his head tightened as the realisation of what he saw sunk deep within, the way she smiled when she spoke to that cursed boy, how serene she appeared when he kissed her. Why wasn't it him?

"Yes, and? What happened?" Yuki pursued, his eyes never leaving Kyo's fragile countenance. He closed his eyes as he longed for this pain to cease. He never would of imagine this pain to get possible. It seemed as if now Tohru was not concerned about him at all and she was consumed by the fox. He mumbled quietly;

"I saw her with Kurai, she seems so happy with him-"

"What?" Yuki retorted in shock, not quite believing what he had just been told. Kyo weakly nodded and this made Yuki think, maybe that was the reason for her happiness? She was so full of joy when she entered the house, and she had lied to him, claiming she was with Uo and Hana when she was not.

"Are you sure it was Kurai?" Yuki asked, hoping Kyo was wrong. He nodded his head;

"It was definitely him, that mass of red hair, those narrow hazel eyes, black clothes? It was him alright" Yuki's face transformed into a look of horror, even after everything she had still chosen to see him, to see the one who could rip their family into pieces.

"But why would Ms. Honda lie to me and claim she was with Uo and Hana? Why would she feel the need to lie to me?" He questioned, wanting answers. He knew Kyo was in the same boat as he was right now but only Kyo had took this badly and his anger was bursting at the seams. Yuki looked downwards at the dirt, this was bad. Kyo loosened his grip on his head as he raised his head up to look at the darkening sky. He looked as if he had his whole world cruelly snatched from him right now.

"She knows everyone hates Kurai that is why. She thinks that by lying about it will make us oblivious. She is such an idiot-" Kyo cursed. Yuki thought, that was true, they did all hate him but it still did not give her an excuse to lie, to be dishonest. He sighed, he knew that they had to tell Shigure about this even if they did not want to.

"Tell me-" Kyo started up again, a whine heard in his voice. "-What does Kurai have that is so special that I don't?" He turned to look at Yuki who was taken back by his comment. He merely shrugged, how could he answer that? He was not Tohru.

"It would be better if you asked Ms. Honda that and not me. I have no idea" Kyo sighed and looked away once more as the sky started to darken and the stars began to shine through the ominous veil. It would only be a matter of time before this all got out of hand, before Akito would be made aware of this sickening dilemma and then it would all be sorted, once and for all.

* * *

><p>Back in her bedroom Kurai and Tohru worked hard on her project. He retold his agonising tale of events and she wrote them all down in note form. He told everything, even the times when he was small, up until his father had abandoned him and classed him as a monster of society. She logged all of it, it would all play a major role in her project. As her eyes scanned over the rest of her notes she smiled. At least now she did not have to worry about school work tomorrow and she could rest up and enjoy the weekend.<p>

"Thank you for helping me Kurai" She said, placing her pen and papers on her book shelf, ready for Monday morning. He smiled.

"It's no problem, I am glad I could help" Slowly she settled beside the mysterious boy once more and started to instantly get nervous, there were so many questions she wanted to ask, she desired to know why he had kissed her earlier and how she felt herself unable to resist. It was a weird sensation but she did not detest it, she just wanted answers. Nervously she tapped her fingers together as she mustered the courage to ask.

"Kurai, I want to ask you something-" She started, swallowing hard as she knew he would be watching her.

"Sure, what is it?" He asked, innocence sounding in his voice. She felt her hands stat to clam up with sweat, what was wrong with her? Then she managed to say it;

"Why did you kiss me earlier?" A silence commenced for a moment as he looked away, perhaps shy or perhaps in regret. He felt the need to apologize to her for his actions even though he was unaware if she was actually complaining about it or not.

"I am sorry if it upset you, I did not mean to-"

"No, no I am not upset by it!" She blurted out, frantically waving her hands about, feeling her face start to flush up red once more. "-it's just… I am curious to know why you did" He weakly smiled, she was so innocent and naïve at times. It was an odd thing for her to randomly come out with, maybe it was playing on her mind? He turned to look at her;

"Well, I guess… the moment felt right" Once more she felt the heat rise to her cheeks, this was intense. She was here, alone in her room, with the guy who had kissed her previously. The situation was becoming uneasy. She quickly looked away from his entrapping gaze and mumbled shyly;

"I…I… guess.. that is… okay" He watched her actions, it was as if she had never even been kissed before, that she had never shared this quality time with a boy before. It made him feel overjoyed for a few moments. Slowly he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest, snuggling against her. He knew that right now she would be embarrassed but it did not matter. He held her against him, enjoying her scent, enjoying how she did not make any attempts to move away, how she was so at ease with him. He felt her small hands gently hold onto his top as she nuzzled her head against his warm chest. A small sigh was released from her lips;

"So you're not freaked out by it?" Kurai questioned, gently rubbing her arm with his fingertips. She shook her head into his chest;

"No… I am not freaked out. I was just… shocked I guess-" He smiled as he pulled her in tighter. He was glad that she had accepted him, that she was not frightened of him or hated him. For the first time in his cursed life his heart was acting on it's own, it was beating faster and faster deep inside his chest. He wondered what this feeing was, he wondered if it was natural.

Slowly she moved up into a sitting position as he released her from his arm. He found his own eyes looking into hers, his heart starting up those dangerous palpations once more. It was unknown to how long they remained transfixed in this scene but he could not advert his gaze from her angelic countenance, from her beautiful azure eyes, her perfectly shaped nose, her enticing lips. She nervously bit into her bottom lip as she began to speak once more;

"Kurai I am s-sorry! This is a-awkward isn't it? I mean… it's all m-my-"

"Shhh-" He whispered, placing a finger to her lips, quelling any more words to be spoken. Her heart thundered rapidly against her ribcage as she was shushed by the mysterious boy. She looked into those hazel eyes, how beautiful they were. She could not find any strength to speak right now. She just remained attentive to his actions. She watched as he slowly removed his finger from her lips and gave her small smile;

"You do not need to say anything. It is okay, and it is not awkward. Don't think that anything is your fault okay?" She weakly nodded, her face still red due to this scene. He slowly looked around, if he was meant to sleep here how could he? She only had a small bed and he would not be able to fit in there.

"Oh, I know I am changing the subject here but… where I am meant to sleep tonight?" He enquired, looking around restlessly. Tohru snapped out of her daze, it was true, there was no room in her bed it seemed.

"I don't know-" She answered in a small voice. Kurai thought, how could he sleep in that bed? Then, it clicked, he had an idea. Slowly he moved away from Tohru and smiled;

"I have just the idea, I'll transform!"

"Oh but you can't do that!" She said, shaking her head wildly, the thought of sharing a bed with an animal seemed wrong on so many levels. Kurai seemed confused, what was the issue?

"Why?" He asked.

"Because the idea of sharing a bed with an animal seems wrong" She answered defiantly, sticking to her idea. _Well that went out of the window._ Kurai thought again, there was no way he could fit in the bed with her. As he scratched his head in a boyish manner she was the first one to speak;

"W-what is w-wrong… with y-you… sharing the b-bed with m-me?"

"Because both of us will not fit in there-" He answered, his eyes looking at the bed. They would not fit in there unless they cuddled up together throughout the night. Tohru stood up and walked over to her side of the bed and slipped under the covers. She shuffled a little to determine whether or not there would be enough room. She sat up and smiled;

"I am sure there will be, test and see for yourself"

She mentally kicked herself, was this even right? Sharing her bed with the one who everyone hated? Even if this was an innocent act it did not seem innocent to her. Kurai raised a perplexed eyebrow at her and then complied. He walked over to the other side and settled down, pulling the covers over him. He shuffled, it was a bit cramped but it would suffice. He sat up also, giving her a warm smile;

"I guess you are right"

She smiled back. At least that was solved. She was surprised as he carefully slid his black top over his shoulders and head, revealing his enticing muscular chest. As he placed it gently on the floor beside the bed she blushed and turned away.

"I can't sleep in clothes-" He murmured. She nodded, feeling her cheeks burn violently. She did not want to look away however, but the enticing thoughts that crowded her mind tortured her deeply and it was only decent to allow him to change in privacy. She could not even believe this was happening right now, that those thoughts were even entering her mind. She was not like that, she was a nice girl, a genuine girl. Upon hearing the zipping noise of jeans being undone made her perspire, her hands clammed up as she bit into her lip. Fictitious images flashed across her mind making her heart convulse rapidly and she swallowed hard whilst trying to block out those kinds of thoughts. It was wrong of her to even think of those kinds of actions.

"A-are you done yet?" She stuttered on her words, trying not to sound too nervous however it was obvious that she was. A warm hand was gently placed on her left shoulder making her turn around. He smiled and said,

"Yes, thank you" Kurai was different, he seemed more at ease than ever before. Tohru thought about him, and then felt herself moving forward, without thinking she gently kissed his soft cheek. His heart began to feel unusual, beating irregularly. This scene was becoming somewhat intense. He looked deep into her azure eyes; he knew that she adored him just by the look in her eyes, the sheer devotion that was beheld in them. This made him feel happy, happy that some-one was accepting him for him, at last.

Without hesitating he pulled her close to him, allowing his tentative lips to gently touch hers. He was incredibly nervous for some reason but he enjoyed it nonetheless, it felt right, to be here with her, with the girl who had the key to his freedom. Tohru closed her eyes, being with him in this way was just so magical, so un-real. It felt right even when she knew it was wrong. She knew that there were consequences to her actions but right now that did not matter. Her heart violently shook deep within as realisation was seeping into her veins. She liked him a lot more than just a friend right now.

Slowly he pulled away, his face still close to hers, looking into her eyes. Tohru could not quite believe what had just happened. It was so amazing and unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She turned off the lamp as they both settled down into the bed's embrace. She cuddled him tightly as they snuggled and ended up muttering something that would alter the axis, that would change everything;

"Kurai… I think… I love you-"

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Awwww fluff how I love you! Please review and let me know how this is going. Do you think Kyo and Yuki will tell Akito? Will Kurai return her feelings? Will everything be okay in the end?)<strong>_


	10. Hiding The Truth

_**(What will happen next? Thank you to everyone who enjoys this fic and I am deeply honoured! I really am, thank you all~!**_

Chapter Nine : Hiding The Truth

**Kurai's Pov**

_Did she just say what I think she said? No, it can't be true it just can't. There is no way a normal human being would ever love some-one like me. She must be kidding herself, yeah, that must be it. Even so, I can't help but feel content. Those words actually mean something right now, to know that she is here with me, that she will never abandon me. It feels right to hold her while she sleeps, to make sure she is always safe because that is my purpose right now. My goal in this life is to make sure she is protected at all costs, even if it means giving up my life, I will do it. She smells divine, like strawberries and I like strawberries. I could hold her all day and night if only she would let me. Her hair is so soft and gentle, her eyes are so beautiful and pure and everything is perfection. Gah, I'm getting soppy! Anyway enough talking about her I think I should get some sleep now, I have to be up early to get out of here so no-one knows I am here. I don't want Tohru getting into trouble because of me~_

* * *

><p>A loud knock rang in Tohru's ears, as the slumber she so willingly succumbed to, started to subside. Just who was making that incessant noise? She slowly sat up, hearing the door rattle once more. With an elongated yawn she turned to her side. <em>Crap, Kurai was still here!<em> She began to panic, if it was Yuki or Kyo coming in to check on her she would most definitely be for the high jump right now. She heard the knock again, making her jump up;

"Ms. Honda, are you awake?" She heard Yuki's serene voice from behind the door frame. While nudging Kurai into waking she called out;

"Yes, w-wait a moment Yuki, I am g-getting my dressing gown" Again she nudged the sleeping fox boy and finally his hazel eyes flickered open. Immediately he saw her worried countenance and shot up. She knew he was about to speak so quickly covered his mouth with her hand.

"Don't speak, Yuki is outside the door-" She whispered, watching his face transform from shock to fear. He knew as well as she did this would not go down well if he saw them like this. She removed her hand and he whispered;

"What are we going to do?" She weakly shrugged; her face panic stricken. This was bad, how had she overslept? She never overslept so why did it alter just for today? Her azure eyes watched as Kurai escaped out of the bed and started tugging on his beads. She frantically waved her arms around before saying in a quiet voice;

"What are you doing?"

"I'll transform and hide under the bed, that way Yuki won't see me" He answered, he gave her a smile to which all she could do was nod in agreement.

She watched as slowly he removed his beads and his body exploded in a puff of purple smoke. When the smoke cleared it revealed the small fox that had lead her out in the forest that once. It picked up its beads in its mouth and lunged towards the bed, concealing itself. Tohru wiped her brow, already a thin layer of sweat had congealed there. This was too much excitement for one morning. She quickly grabbed her dressing gown, slipped it on and then walked over to the door. Inhaling quickly to relieve some of the built up stress that was deep inside she opened the door. Her eyes scanned the slim figure of Yuki. He was holding a tray of some description and his face portrayed confusion.

"Are you feeling okay Ms. Honda? You look flustered"

"Oh no I am fine!" She said, waving her arms about madly. Yuki merely smiled and walked past Tohru to place the tray on her bed. She watched as the realisation sunk in, he had made her breakfast, well, an attempt.

"Yuki, you made me breakfast?" she enquired curiously. He turned to her and nodded;

"Yes, it's a way of apologizing for my behaviour lately. Ever since we have been aware of Kurai skulking about we have all been on edge, I am sorry for that" Tohru smiled, at least he was making an effort, unlike Kyo. He would not even speak to her, but then again Kyo was the stubborn type. Slowly Tohru walked over and settled comfortably on her bed, eyeing up the food on the plate. To give him credit it looked better than usual, perhaps Shigure had overseen the project?

"Thank you Yuki, you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble" She muttered as she grabbed the cutlery beside the plate. He combed his fingers through his dark hair and smiled;

"It was no trouble. Sometimes you deserve a break from chores-"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile downstairs Shigure was in his office, idly thinking about other ideas for his novel. It was a tedious process but it had to be done, otherwise his editor would be fuming. He sighed, why was he stuck for ideas? As he tried to rack his brain for some sort of creative flair he heard the phone start to ring. Well, at least that disturbed his melancholy state of mind. Slowly he eased himself off his chair and trudged over to the phone. As he placed the receiver to his ear he coughed abruptly;<p>

"Hello, Shigure speaking-"

"Hello, it is Hatori" His monotone voice was heard. Why would Hatori be phoning on a Sunday?

"Oh hello Hatori, what can I do for you on this fine day?" Shigure started, feeling marginally happier now he had gotten out of his office. Hatori sighed on the other end of the phone, either in regret or annoyance.

"Is Tohru with you?"

"No, she is in her bedroom, why you ask?" He enquired, Hatori asking for Tohru? That was never a good sign, unless it was to give her a check-up for any signs of contact with Kurai.

"Akito wants to see her today-" He muttered plainly, causing Shigure to almost fall over. Akito wanted to see her? That was never good; it was definitely to do with Kurai now. Shigure coughed uneasily as he responded;

"Is this to do with Kurai?" There was a pause.

"Yes it is, Akito believes that because Tohru is somehow connected to him if we ask her to the main house he will follow and then he will be captured again" Shigure looked thoughtful, he knew it would not be that easy, he was a fox after all. He now released a sigh, why did they have to get Tohru involved?

"I don't think it will be that easy, Kurai is not stupid"

"I know, as does Akito, but he said that his plan will not fail so we shall see what occurs" Shigure knew Tohru would be extremely apprehensive of seeing Akito again, after all, he was not the easiest person to get along with. Rubbing his forehead in thought he uttered weakly;

"Okay, I'll tell her about it-"

"Good, I'll be round at 1o'clock sharp to pick her up, have a good day" Then the conversation ended. As Shigure placed the phone down he heard footsteps approach him. He turned around to see an angered orange haired boy standing behind him, his face consumed with anger.

"Was that Hatori on the phone?" he asked, in an almost demanding tone. Shigure nodded;

"Yes, he wants me to tell Tohru that she must see Akito today" Kyo's eyes widened, seeing Akito? This could only mean one thing, Kurai. Did Akito know about her visiting him on a regular basis? She would get in a lot of trouble if he knew. He swallowed hard;

"Why the hell is Akito getting involved? He should leave Tohru outta' this!"

"But Tohru is involved, and deeply too. If she is connected to Kurai then that is the only means of capturing him once more. That is how Akito sees it, Tohru is a pawn in his little chess game right now" Kyo looked at the ground, his hands balled into fists. The anger was increasing and instead of lashing out he decided to storm out of the house, to take a walk to clear his head right now. Shigure watched, he felt remorse for Tohru, she had no idea what her actions had resulted to.

* * *

><p>As she ate her breakfast Yuki and Tohru talked, laughed and joked with each other, just like before Kurai ever existed in their lives. It was bliss. When she finally finished her breakfast she complimented;<p>

"It wasn't that bad Yuki! You're getting better!"

"Thank you Ms. Honda, I tried to not burn any of it" She smiled, Yuki was here, he had not abandoned her even if she had seen Kurai. Kyo had completely ignored her existence and she had to admit, it did hurt deep down. Yuki inhaled deeply and then his face transformed to confusion. He sniffed once more, looking around curiously. Tohru's eyes were wide in bewilderment, just what was he doing?

"Yuki, is something wrong?"

"I smell berries-" He commented resulting in Tohru's heart to sink. It was Kurai's smell; even she could smell it right now. How would she change this troubling subject? Nervously fidgeting with her nightgown she mumbled;

"It's my new deodorant-" Yuki turned to her and then smiled;

"It smells lovely" He commented which made her smile, not because he was complimenting her but because in fact he was complimenting Kurai. She wondered if he was okay cooped up under her bed. Could he hear everything that was being said? How long could he remain in animal form?

"I need clarify a few things with you though Ms. Honda, I have only just remembered" Yuki stated, his eyes full of sorrow. She had a feeling it would not be the best of things to converse on.

"Yes Yuki, what is it?"

"Well-" He started. "-I bumped into Kyo last night. He was very angry, angrier than usual and he said it was due to your actions" Her eyes sparkled for that very moment, she had made Kyo angry? She had not even seen him lately, how was that possible?

"How?" she asked curiously, her azure eyes never leaving Yuki's face. He sighed;

"He saw you with Kurai-" A loud bang underneath her bed sounded and this startled Yuki. He jumped up and she attempted to look shocked also. Why had Kurai done that? He was going to give away his position.

"Oh-" She muttered, trying to divert the attention, looking down at the covers on her bed. She knew Yuki would obviously be displeased with her actions.

"Yes, he is very angry right now. I think he is jealous" She looked up, how could Kyo be jealous of Kurai? Weren't they both classed as outsiders?

"Why is he jealous?" She asked, wanting to know more answers. Yuki shrugged;

"He asked me last night what Kurai has that he does not, I think he likes you Ms. Honda and that is why he is keeping away from you" She felt guilt reside within, how could she have been so oblivious to all this? She had no idea Kyo liked her in a stronger manner than friendship. Tugging at her nightgown she answered;

"Oh, I guess I will apologise to him-"

"Forget about that for now, why the hell are you still seeing that cursed boy?" Yuki asked, calmly this time. She swallowed hard, she wanted to be honest with him this time, and she wanted to tell him everything.

"Because he is not what you think he is, he is a pure creature, he is genuine and he protects me! He saved me from these two boys who were going to abuse me-" She retorted, her eyes now looking downwards.

"WHAT? When did this happen?" Yuki asked; his voice rose slightly.

"When I went to the library and chose not to walk with you, it happened shortly after that" For some reason she felt guilty, she did not mean for Yuki to find out in this manner and she knew he would be furious. He placed a hand to his head;

"Well, it is too late to change that now, I am just glad nothing serious happened"

"If Kurai had not intervened then I dread to think what would have happened-" She commented, hoping that Yuki would perhaps start to think differently about the boy, that he would perhaps start to believe everything Tohru was saying. Yuki sighed, looking towards the window. This was a difficult predicament.

"Well, that is fortunate, nevertheless I don't trust him-" Yuki added in coldly. Tohru looked downwards once more, why was everyone so adamant about accepting the fact Kurai was not bad? That he was good and serene just like the others. Yuki rose to his feet, grabbing the tray. It was time to leave now.

"I'll let you get dressed Ms. Honda, thank you for understanding but please-" He paused and looked at her sternly "- keep away from Kurai, please, for your own safety" And with that he left the room.

* * *

><p>Tohru sighed as she heard a poof and a haze of purple smoke appeared, Kurai had transformed into human form once more. As the smoke cleared she saw his slim figure rise up from the floor, fully clothed now. His face scarred with anger, even in her attempt to defend the boy Yuki still did not want any part of it; it was as if he was scared.<p>

"That damn rodent, how dare he judge me-" Kurai commented.

"He doesn't mean to sound so rude, it is because he does not know you-" Tohru defended, holding her hands up. She could see how infuriated Kurai was, he hated it when people made out he was bad, that he was mischievous or ill-omened. He gently sat on the bed, facing away from Tohru.

"This just isn't going to work is it?" he muttered under his breath as he released a long heavy sigh. Tohru turned around, what was that meant to mean?

"What are you saying?" she mumbled weakly, already feeling water congeal in her eyes. He kept his back towards her, facing away from her.

"No-one is going to accept me, I am doomed to be classed as an outsider for all my life-" Quickly she placed a hand on his shoulder, hoping to give him some sort of comfort;

"I have accepted you, you're not alone anymore" His narrow hazel eyes glanced at her serene face, she was so angelic, so pure and innocent. How could they connect so well when they were almost opposites? He weakly smiled;

"I guess that is some consolation-" She smiled also. He would have to leave soon, it was only fair. If Kyo burst into the room then it would most definitely result to physical violence. She removed her hand from his shoulder and watched as he rose to his feet. He turned to her;

"I have to go now Tohru, I will see you again later" She nodded, she did not want him to leave, she wanted him to be with her all the time. She felt safe with him.

"It's okay I understand-" He winked at her, in the same way as the first time she ever saw him and leapt out of the window. She quickly got to her feet and rushed over to the spot where he escaped from. Peering down she looked, he was gone. She sighed, she would not see him until tonight maybe and that thought alone was hurting her heart.

She also remembered how she told him that she loved him last night. He did not respond, he just held her tighter and that signalled everything. She could not afford to lose him; he was too special to her right now. Even if he was deemed as an outcast, or as a fiend she did not care, he was still half human. He still could harbor deep emotions.

To snap her out of her trance she heard Shigure's voice from downstairs;

"Tohru! Are you awake? If you are get ready and come down in half an hour! Hatori is picking you up, Akito wants to see you!"

She became frozen, did she hear that right? Akito wanted to see her today? Was it about Kurai? She swallowed hard; she was very reluctant to go. For one she knew that Kurai would most likely follow her in some way and she did not want him to get captured again, that thought she could not deal with. Nevertheless she put on a brave face and decided on the task on what to wear. She ardently prayed that Akito would not punish her for her intervention in his little scheme. He was going to make Kurai his puppet once more and, to have him begging at his feet for mercy. Kurai did not deserve this; he deserved a normal and happy life. Hopefully, with her being a major part of it…

* * *

><p><em><strong>(What will happen next? Will Akito punish Tohru for being with Kurai? Will Kurai get captured again? Please vote on my poll on my profile page if you think he will get his happy ending.)<strong>_


	11. I'll Be There

_**(I would like to give a big shout out to all you Kurai fans out there! How I love you all! I am glad that everyone supports this fic and I will continue to make this a good story for all of you! Once more I present you with the next installment, enjoy~!)**_

Chapter Ten: I'll Be There

The soft humming heard from within the car made her feel lethargic and apprehensive. It also might have been due to seeing Akito today and she knew it would not be favourable. She cast a nervous glance to Yuki, who sat beside her. He insisted on accompanying her along with Hatori and Shigure. Kyo was nowhere to be seen this morning; perhaps he had gone to his master for the day. As her azure eyes scanned across the mass of scenery that flew past she sighed.

"Are you feeling okay Ms. Honda?" Yuki asked, turning his head to face the worried girl. She looked at the dark haired boy and forced a smile, she could not confess that in fact she was quaking about seeing Akito. She knew that Akito would question her about Kurai and she would be ripped to pieces in a matter of seconds.

"Yes, I am fine. Just a little nervous I guess-" He smiled at her;

"Don't be nervous, Shigure and I will be there. Nothing will happen to you, trust me" She did not sense confidence in his words and that made her tense up immediately. Hatori and Shigure had been silent the entire way, this was also unusual, normally Shigure would chew off Hatori's ear about pointless gossip but today everything was serious, too serious. Again she sighed as she looked back to the window. She had a sickening feeling deep within the pit of her stomach. Why was Akito so obsessed with Kurai? Was it only due to his curse, or something more?

"I can't believe Kyo never offered to come along, he is so selfish-" Yuki commented quietly, resting comfortably in his seat.

"He is probably busy with planning his project-" Tohru mumbled. Why she was still defending him she had no clue. She heard Yuki emit a half-heated chuckle.

"I very much doubt that, Kyo normally leaves school work to the last minute" Tohru's heart was heavy, deep inside, it was as if she knew this meeting would not go as planned, that something would happen. Nevertheless she answered Yuki, her back still facing him;

"I don't know then-"

"The reason he is not here is because he is sulking like a baby and hasn't got the guts to talk to you himself, it's ridiculous" Yuki commented once more. She took a deep breath to steady her wavering nerves, why were they even conversing about Kyo? This was not about Kyo or had anything to do with him, this was to do with her meddling affairs with Kurai, and she just knew it. The rest of the way remained silent as the car made its long journey up to the main house, ready to meet with Akito, the devil in reincarnation.

As she stepped out of the car she felt the biting air chill her bones and play with her long locks of hair. Yuki got out next, looking around at his surroundings. It was all so familiar; she had been here before and every time it had not been favourable. She swallowed hard, what would Akito do? Would he hurt her like he did with Hatori? Suddenly she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder making her turn around. It was Yuki. He gave her a smile;

"Come on Ms. Honda, don't look so scared. You'll be fine" Again she forced a smile and weakly nodded. As she walked beside him she looked around, wondering about if a certain red-headed teenager was skulking about. It would be very dangerous if he was right now and she hoped he had not followed her for his own safety. Hatori and Shigure lead the way into the house, keeping to their deafening silence. As she walked into the house she shivered for a moment. The walls seemed to be closing in on her, every inch getting closer and closer until she felt like she could not breathe. She inhaled sharply, needing more oxygen to fill her lungs. She could feel her hands trembling as she nervously walked ever closer to her doom, to the judgment Akito would bestow upon her.

"I'm really scared Yuki-" She muttered quietly, wanting to cry. She had a gut instinct that this would alter everything, that she would never be able to feel comfortable in these surroundings. Yuki gave her a warm smile;

"Please don't be scared. I will be in the room with you so don't panic. If anything goes out of hand I'll intervene. That is rest assured" She tried to believe those words, oh how she longed for them to be the truth but right now she did not feel confident. She wished the ground would open up and take her far away from here, away from this cursed place.

* * *

><p>As they all entered the room she froze immediately. Upon seeing the fragile form of the head of the family sitting near the window made her pause. Her eyes sparkled as she saw the figure turn its head and look directly into her eyes, a small smile scarring those thin lips. She swallowed hard as Yuki and Shigure coaxed her to walk forward.<p>

"Tohru is here, Akito" Hatori issued. She mentally kicked herself, why did she feel like she was doomed right now? This would be the worst mistake of her life. Her eyes traced the outline of the weak figure as it rose and walked clumsily over to her, struggling in the effort to keep stable.

"I can see that-" Akito mused, keeping that devilish smile. Tohru stopped walking and instantly fell to her knees, bowing in the manner she was accustomed to, she did not want to see that wicked smile, those evil eyes, any of it. She wanted to ignore it all. Akito neared her and looked down on the girl, it was apparent she was scared as the convulsions in her body were visible to the naked eye. Akito emitted a small chuckle;

"So dearest Tohru, I want to ask you a question and I would like you to answer it" She slowly raised her eyes, what was this question? She nodded weakly. Akito neared her once more, a malicious look in his eyes as he growled in a low tone;

"Do you like foxes? If you do, can I ask why?" She swallowed down the lump that had congealed in her throat and she coughed abruptly. Nervously tugging at the hem of her skirt she answered;

"I do like foxes, they are cute and lovely creatures" Suddenly Akito started to laugh, a laugh that echoed throughout the room, that bounced off the ill-omened walls. It mocked her, taunted her, and demonstrated that her answer was wrong. She flinched in defence, why was he laughing?

"You think they are cute?" He started again, his voice slightly angrier than previously. She weakly nodded, knowing that Akito would say something else.

"-They are not cute, or lovely, they are filthy vermin that need to be either killed or captured!" Again she closed her eyes tightly, already wanting to cry. Why was everyone so against Kurai? He was not bad in any way; he was a good natured being that protected her out of the kindness of his heart. She longed to defend him, to spill out everything he had done for her but the words were hushed in her throat. Nothing would emit from her mouth apart from muffled whines. She could see Akito edging nearer to her. This was going to go badly, she could just sense it. He neared his face to the girl and sneered;

"I have heard about your antics with Kurai, and I am very disappointed in you" She could not even look at him, if she did she would cry, it was the instant reaction right now. She continued to tug at the hem of her skirt, biting into her bottom lip as she longed for it all to go away.

"I...I…" She started.

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. Do you know what he is capable of? Do even know why I had him locked away and why we need him back?" He cursed at her. Frantically she shook her head, doing her utmost to retain those tears, to not show her weakness.

"N-no… I don't…"She answered weakly.

"Well I will tell you-" Akito informed, giving the others in the room cold glances before turning his attention back to Tohru. Bending in closer to her face he almost whispered;

"Kurai is a Kitsune; he has an evil fox spirit deep inside his wretched body. He is nothing but an evil fiend who enjoys messing with people's minds and getting into their hearts. He has you wrapped around his little finger right now and it is sickening to watch. He knows what buttons to press to make sure you go running to him; that is one of his gifts. He manipulates people, creates illusions, and makes things seem better than they actually are. He is nothing but an evil being that needs to be stopped!"

"No-" She defended, feeling her body shudder violently as she defiantly defended the fox-boy. She did not believe any of that, Kurai was none of those things.

"-you're wrong, Kurai is not like that. He has only ever been nice to me, he protected me from some boys and he has never been horrible to me, or invaded my mind. He is lovely, sweet and caring and I just wish that…"

"What do you wish for?" Akito screeched callously into her ear making her tense up. She swallowed hard; she needed to say everything right now;

"-I wish... that everyone would stop… hating him and… accept him"

Her apparent defiance earned her a forceful slap across her cheek in which her eyes started to sting with tears. Akito had slapped her and it was so unexpected. She could not stop those tears from trickling down her face as the stinging sensation burned her skin. She placed a hand to the spot where she has been slapped, it felt as if it was burning.

"You are nothing but a measly little girl! Do you really think he will ever have true human feelings for you? He does not love you or think anything of you, he is a Kitsune, his nature is to deceive people and you are so naive to see it! You make me sick-" Akito commented, now turning away from the girl. She still kept her hand over her cheek as her azure eyes glanced up to see the frail figure turned away from her. She sniffled, trying to stop the tears from dribbling down her face.

"I….I-" She muttered weakly, feeling her voice fail her entirely.

"All I ask is for your co-operation-" Akito retorted, in a calmer voice this time. "-get me his beads around his neck and this shall all be gotten rid of, the whole issue will be dealt with" Again she refused, slowly shaking her head. How could she give him up like that? How could she betray his trust? That would make her the evil one in this equation.

"I can't do… that-" She replied, now looking at the ground once more.

"You have to-" He answered starting to chuckle once more. He turned to face her, that evil look clearly seen in his dark eyes once more. He continued his speech.

"-because if you don't we will take him back by force. He can't win; he was doomed ever since he was born into this world with that curse. He belongs locked up and that is what will happen, you cannot change fate little girl, even if you apparently love this creature and you think you can. Face it, you can't change it. He will be locked up, it is a fact" Again she started to cry, placing both hands over her face, shuddering violently. The thought of not seeing him again crucified her insides and the pain felt as if her heart was being torn in two. She cried loudly into her hands, not caring who saw, not caring if Akito hit her once more, none of it mattered.

Suddenly Yuki rushed over to her, kneeling down and holding her shoulders. He could see she was terribly distraught, that this meeting had really hurt her deep down. He had never seen her cry to this degree before, it was as if her whole world was crashing around her. He looked to Akito and issued;

"Enough Akito, look what you have done to Ms. Honda!"

"I don't care about her-" He mused as he walked back over to the spot by the window. He settled down in his usual spot and gazed out at the scenery just beyond.

"-all that matters is getting that cursed boy back where he belongs. He belongs to me, not to her and I will get him back. It will be a matter of time, but he will return to me, everyone does-" He started to chuckle once more, sending a cold chill down Yuki's spine.

Right now the best plan of action was getting Tohru home; she was in such a terrible state that her own legs could not support her weight right now. Sadly she could not lean on Yuki, otherwise he would transform and then they would get nowhere. He watched as both Shigure and Hatori walked over to the broken girl. Hatori looked thoughtful, giving Shigure a nervous glance. It was as if they knew of something that was yet to be told.

"Tohru, come with me I'll take you home" Hatori issued, holding out a hand to the girl. She weakly nodded, sniffling back the tears as she outstretched a trembling hand. As she grabbed his she was pulled off the floor and he lead her slowly out of the building, back to the car to drive her home. Yuki and Shigure decided to stay for a while, talking to Akito about this issue in more detail would clarify some things. Yuki sighed, the thought of leaving Tohru was already bad enough but he knew that she would be safe with Hatori, and that she could talk to him if things were playing on her mind.

* * *

><p>When Hatori arrived at Shigure's house Tohru breathed a small sigh of relief, seeing home never felt so good until now. Slowly she escaped the car and thanked Hatori. He gave her a small nod and then drove off, leaving her at the front of the house. Her legs still felt weak from the previous encounter with Akito. Those words burned into her, those malevolent words about Kurai, they were all false accusations, and they had to be. With small fragile steps she finally managed to reach the front door and walked inside. As she walked inside she could see a mass of orange hair in the living room, sitting on the couch, blissfully unaware of her hardships. She glanced at Kyo for a few moments before retreating up to her abode. The sounds of feet pounding the stairs alerted Kyo for a moment, making him turn around. He did not see anything and so merely returned to watching pointless programmes on the television.<p>

As she entered her room she closed the door and rested her back against it, looking up at the ceiling. Could this day get any worse? She sighed heavily as a small tear escaped her eye and trickled down her pale face. She did not know how much longer she could feel like this, to feel as if her heart was breaking in two. As she started to succumb to the deafening silence that shrouded her room it was shattered;

"Tohru are you alright?" Instantly she turned her gaze to where she heard the voice and much to her amazement she saw Kurai sitting on her bed, papers scattered around him and he was also wearing new clothes. She shook her head as she felt more tears flood her eyes.

"N-no… I am n-not… okay…" She murmured, before sliding down the door and onto the floor. Immediately he shot off the bed and rushed over to the broken girl and wrapped his arms around her. He gently rocked her fragile, trembling body back and forth in the same manner as a mother does to a distressed child. She clung onto his new black jacket and cried out loudly once more. Slowly he combed his fingers through her mass of brown hair and shushed down her cries.

"Hey, don't cry. It's all going to be fine" He assured her, still rocking her body. She did not want him to leave, the thought of Akito getting his way and locking up Kurai almost killed her sanity. How would she cope with that?

"I…I..." She started;

"You saw Akito today didn't you?" Kurai asked calmly. She nodded into his top and his hazel eyes portrayed sadness and sorrow. This was the reason for her suffering and it was his fault. He sighed and continued to rock her, fingers combing through her hair;

"It's all my fault, I am sorry I got you involved in my life Tohru" She shook her head against his chest in protest. In weak murmurs she managed to say;

"I... defended… you. Akito... s-said such... h-horrible things… I… I… defended y-you..." He held her tighter, knowing that in her disobedience it would have earned her torment from Akito. No wonder she was such a mess right now.

"You're silly; you did not have to do that for me. I can defend myself" He smiled as he held her tightly, even after those cruel words Akito spilled from his mouth she did not believe any of them, she saw past the issue of the curse and saw the human being inside of him.

"I didn't… w-want to h-hear him talking... a-about you like that" She uttered; now calming down significantly. Slowly she moved her head so she could look at his face. He was smiling, he was content and happy and she could not help but weakly smile too. Her eyes were red and sore after all the crying she had commenced in today. He gently wiped her red cheeks from the tears that scarred her countenance.

"I know. I know..." He said in an almost whisper.

"You're too important to me, I don't want Akito to lock you away" Tohru said, her voice now calmer than previously, at least now her stuttering and pauses had ceased. He gently stroked her face with his hand as his eyes continued to look at every detail. Those words awakened something deep inside, it started his heart to thump uncontrollably deep inside.

"You're important to me too, never forget that" He answered, watching her face for a change of expression. She started to smile and then wrapped her arms around him once more. She needed to feel him against her; that he was here and he always would be. She did not want to think of him being carted away back to his prison. That thought hurt too much.

After the embrace ceased she wiped her own face. There was one question she longed to ask right now.

"How did you get those clothes?" she asked, changing the subject. He looked down at his attire and smiled in a cheeky manner. They were good quality and well fitted. He had chosen a black jacket that was missing one arm so it revealed his left arm, a red t-shirt and black leather pants that were decorated with belts, criss-crossing across the material, with black trainers. It all looked so expensive.

"I got them from a shop" He answered plainly, with a smile. Tohru pondered, how did he get the money to buy them? He had none to what she was aware of.

"You bought them? How?" she asked again. He chuckled;

"Oh no I didn't buy them, I took them from the shop" His answer was so innocent it seemed like he was joking, but she knew he was not. She blinked curiously for a few moments, allowing the information to sink in.

"You… stole them?" Maybe he did not think it was bad to steal things. After all didn't she read about this somewhere?

'_A Kitsune who is adopted into the house are said to bring its host money or stolen items…'_ So that was the reason. His face seemed so full of innocence in his devious antics it made her smile. It was wrong but right now she was just glad he was here. Suddenly he shot up and walked over to the bed. He picked up something from behind the bed and walked back over to Tohru, sitting down once more. He handed her a bag;

"I got you something too!" Her azure eyes scanned the bag, if this was stolen how did he get the bag too? _Did he steal that too?_ Nevertheless she opened the bag and looked inside. Slowly she reached for the item, feeling it was soft, like satin. As she lifted it out she unfurled it to reveal a beautiful satin pink dress, even more beautiful than Ayame's creations. She was in awe, she could not believe he got her something so expensive, even if he did steal it.

"Did you steal this too?" she questioned. All she received was a wink and she knew immediately. It was beautiful and luxurious, she had never owned a dress so mesmerising in all her life.

"Do you like it?" Kurai asked, looking at her with widened hazel eyes. She smiled and nodded, at least now she was feeling better.

"I can't accept it though, it is way too beautiful. I wouldn't look good in it-"

"You're talking rubbish Tohru, it will suit you perfectly. Trust me" She looked across at him and then back to the dress. It was so soft to the touch and a halter neck which was perfect. On the one side it was decorated with small sequins, coloured in violets and magentas. It really was an extravagant piece of art. She placed it back in the bag, still keeping a smile on her face.

"Thank you so much!" She said, not knowing what she had done to deserve such a gift.

"It's no problem, it was the least I could do considering you have allowed me to stay here" They both smiled, why were moments as perfect as these so few and far between? Also, if they were not careful they would cease altogether. That issue she did not want to think about, she did not want him to leave, not now or ever.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile Kyo remained on the couch, watching mind numbing television. His mind was not really focused on the faded outlines of the characters on the screen but more focused on his own problems within his mind. It had been almost a day since he stopped talking to Tohru altogether and it was eating him away. He wanted to ask her so many questions, if she loved Kurai and if she ever liked him. He placed his head in his hands as he tried to think of words to say to her, to not sound like a complete and utter idiot.<p>

The droning sound of the television was merely background noise to his contemplation. He was battling within his brain why she had chosen Kurai and not him. What did Kurai have that he did not? Nothing made any sense and he wanted to scream out, to show he was not okay. He wanted all this pain to go away right now.

* * *

><p><strong>A few hours later~<strong>

After dinner was served and Kyo and Tohru ate in silence she retreated back to her room, hiding some of the lunch in a small bag. She did not want Kyo to know about feeding the fox; that would only cause more arguments. As she entered her room she could see his relaxed form on her bed, idly sketching on some paper. She smiled as he looked up at her and she handed him the small bag.

"I got you some dinner again, it's not much but it was all I could get" He opened it eagerly, tonight it looked like they had fish with rice again, not that he was complaining. She settled beside him as he started to eat the lunch that she had got for him and scanned over what he was writing. On appearance it looked like a script and a storyboard for her project.

"You made the script and storyboard already?" she asked, slightly shocked at how eager he was to aid her in her project. He nodded as he ate the food, it was just as good as yesterday. She picked up the script and read the last part to herself;

**Tohru- Please, I don't want you to go, I don't want them to take you away from me.**

**Kurai- They won't I promise.**

**Tohru- But, he told me that…**

**(Kurai holds Tohru, lifting her head up to his face)**

**Kurai- Trust me, I am not going anywhere**

That was where it ended right now and that must have been when she came in to interrupt with his food. Her eyes quickly scanned the storyboard, at the small drawings of her and him together. He drew himself with little fox ears and tail and it made her giggle.

"What's so funny?" he asked, finally finished with eating and reaching over to place the bag in the bin.

"You drew yourself with fox ears and tail, it's so cute" She commented, a smile scarred across her face. At least she liked the drawings. He looked towards the script and sighed, running his fingers through his red hair;

"One problem, I am stuck on the script right now. I got to the part where it's like a bit soppy and I don't know what else to put, more to the point, I don't know what you want me to write" She looked into his eyes and thought, she did not mind acting with him, it was for her project so it needed to look as realistic as possible.

"What were you planning on writing?" she asked curiously. Gently he took the paper and picked up the pen once more.

"I was going to put that here in this scene is where they kiss, when the audience know that she loves him-" He looked across at Tohru, whose cheeks were starting to become red. "-is that okay, or shall I change it?"

"Oh no, it's fine!" She protested, waving her arms about madly as her cheeks started to burn. All this would be on film, her kissing Kurai, being with him. The thought made her heart flutter deep within. He smiled and added to the script.

**(Kurai lifts her head up and gently they kiss, add in some romantic music for effect. Then fade out to other clips of the project)**

He smiled, pleased with his handiwork for now. At least they had a rough idea on what to do. Tohru smiled, still feeling embarrassed about the whole situation.

"Do we have to do rehearsals and stuff?" He asked, re-reading the script in his hands. She weakly nodded, would they have to rehearse the kiss? She felt hot once more, the thought of kissing him again seemed to awaken a little demon inside of her.

"Y-yes we do" She answered, her voice a little shakier than usual. He smiled, was he completely oblivious to this? She did not know. She watched as he stood up.

"Shall we practice now?" Her eyes sparkled for a moment, luckily only Kyo was in the house right now and he would not be attempting to listen to her antics so it was okay, right? She weakly nodded;

"Sure, what part?" He bent over to look at the script, he pointed to the beginning;

"I say we do the part when you meet me, I put that I meet you in your room to make it easier" He smiled and she smiled too. Her own eyes looked at the script and she made a mental note of what to say. Nodding to herself she also stood up, walking over to Kurai. She inhaled deeply before awaiting for him to speak first. He coughed abruptly, trying to remember his lines;

"_I am not human_-" He remembered, thinking deeply "-_I am a Kitsune, a boy possessed by the spirit of the fox. Are you scared?_" This meant he had to give her a cold look and she had to act apprehensive. She managed to act quite well and she muttered her own words;

"_N-no… I am not scared. Do I have a reason to be scared?" _This meant he edged nearer to her, her face portraying a slight fear. Deep within her heart was melting, she should be pretending to be scared when she was far from that right now. _Cursed damn hormones! _Kurai smiled, it was not one she was accustomed to, and he had to put on a fake wicked smile.

"_Maybe you do, maybe you don't after all… I am an evil fox spirit" _They paused, just like it said in the script and that scene was over. She inhaled quickly, feeling the need to fill her lungs with more oxygen that necessary right now. Her body was trembling, this little acting scene was taking its toll on her and for some reason she did not know why. She watched as Kurai's face was ablaze with joy.

"That was awesome! I can't wait to act on camera!" She felt content, she knew that her project would be a big success with his help, she hoped that it would help people understand a little more about his life and about his torment.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile downstairs Kyo was getting angrier and angrier. All he could hear from upstairs was laughing and muffled voices. He knew instinctively that Kurai was up there, with Tohru. He balled his hand into a fist, he wanted to hit something, preferably him. This was not how it was meant to go, Kurai was never supposed to steal Tohru's heart. That was his job, he was the one who should get to hold her, to kiss her and to comfort her when times got tough.<p>

He glanced at the direction to the stairs, feeling powerful for the first time in a while. He longed to go up there, to sort him out and make sure he never went near Tohru again. His ears detected another laugh, it was Tohru's, and angrily he smashed his fist off the table, almost breaking it. He couldn't take it anymore; that was it, the final straw.

* * *

><p>Tohru giggled, acting was fun with him, he kept making silly faces and it would prevent her from saying her lines and she would end up laughing. At least this was better than crying. She settled on her bed, her legs tired from standing up. Kurai followed and did the same, sitting opposite her. There was only one more scene to rehearse and she knew what it was. She wondered if he would bring it up anytime soon or if they would not rehearse that part.<p>

"We have one more part to rehearse-" He commented, making Tohru mentally kick herself. Her heart was already close to its expiry date and now it would definitely fail her. She nervously tugged at her skirt, she did not know if she would be able to remember her lines.

"Okay-" She muttered shyly. He smiled and he looked over the script once more.

"Okay well this the part where you don't want me to go so you can like hug me or something, I haven't added in stage directions because I wasn't sure myself" He scratched the back of his head nervously and watched Tohru. She just nodded and kept on smiling, at least she was okay with this.

"So you mean hold you like this?" she started, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. He nodded, feeling his body temperature rise significantly. He could feel her warmth and it was making him begin to sweat. She cleared her throat as she tried to remember her lines;

"_Please, I don't want you to go, I don't want them to take you away from me-" _She felt Kurai's hand gently stroke her hair once more as he nuzzled against her head, inhaling her scent. This scene would be perfect if it was not for the benefit of acting. He retorted;

"_They won't, I promise" _Slowly she moved her head away from him, looking into his eyes. She felt sad saying this scene, a scene that would most likely be true in the end, she felt tears sting in her eyes as she said her lines;

"_But, he told me that.."_ Almost instantly she felt her head being lifted up by him, he looked deeply into her eyes and her heart started to melt deep inside. For some reason this did not feel like acting anymore, this felt real. He almost whispered to her, giving her goose bumps;

_"Trust me, I am not going anywhere-" _Her eyes instinctively closed as she felt herself being pulled forward, towards the heaven that awaited her. This was not acting to her, this was happening here and now. She breathed in deeply as she felt his lips against hers, gently touching. They were so soft, like velvet and she could not help but wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him closer into the kiss. She could almost feel his heart thundering deep inside as their chests touched. Her body was trembling due to this intense pressure, this perfect moment.

She then felt something wet, something warm, gently slide against her bottom lip. Curiously she allowed her own lips to part a little to give entrance to the foreign visitor that entered her mouth. It was his tongue and it gently teased hers as they kept their bodies touching, keeping their eternal hold on each other. She could taste something distinctive, similar to his scent only better and it was addicting. She could feel the energy slowly escape her as they kissed, as his tongue explored her mouth slowly. His own arms wrapped around her waist as he pulled her closer to him gently, enjoying these precious moments with her, just to feel loved was enough for him. She found herself gently comb her fingers through his hair as the kiss started to end. His soft red locks of hair that just screamed to be tousled, to have her fingers comb through them. As the kiss ceased she kept her face near to his, inhaling deeply.

"I…" She started, feeling her face turn crimson. She wanted to say those words so badly right now, she wanted the whole world to hear. She did not care anymore. She kept her arms wrapped around his neck as she looked into his eyes, how beautiful they were. They entrapped her entirely. He smiled, keeping his own arms wrapped around her waist.

"That was perfect" He muttered quietly. Her face still felt hot as they remained locked together. Her heart felt as if it was in her throat right now, suffocating her, feeling the quickening beat throughout every inch of her body.

"I… love you-" She whispered, her eyes looking downwards. Kurai smiled, his own heart conjuring up a quickened pace. He neared his face to her ear and whispered;

"I love you too…"

She looked up into his face, at his smile and she felt like crying. The emotions were all welling up inside of her and it felt perfect. She did not make any attempt to stop him when he pulled her into another kiss, just as perfect as the last. She started to comb her fingers through his hair as his tongue invaded her mouth once more. This time she decided it would be good to be slightly adventurous and allowed her own tongue to playfully tease his, to taste him once more. She closed her eyes, enjoying this ecstasy fill her bones. She made no objection as she felt her body falling towards the soft comfort of her bed and his body lying on top of her, moving his arms so they were either side of her shoulders. The kiss continued, the heat rising within her body as the constant contact of body on body made her get nervous. She had never experienced this with anyone before, this was all so new to her but she did not detest it, in fact it was amazing. Gently his hand stroked her neck up to her face as they kissed and every touch seemed to send her spiraling towards oblivion.

* * *

><p>Completely lost in each other neither of them detected the door open, or a figure to appear in the door way, looking infuriated;<p>

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO TOHRU!" A loud yell sounded which instantly made their actions cease. Both Kurai and Tohru looked towards the door to an angered orange haired boy, his eyes ablaze in anger. Tohru swallowed hard, knowing that this position was not going to look good in Kyo's eyes. Both Tohru and Kurai looked at each other for a moment, looking worried. They knew that this situation would be difficult to talk out of…

* * *

><p><strong>(Long chapter! TEN PAGES! But hell it is worth it for you guys who review! Thank you all so much I am so happy and please review and tell me what you think of the fluff!)<strong>


	12. Jealously Is Unbecoming

_**(Another chapter is here people! It is all down to you guys out there who review and tell me such lovely things! I love Kurai too, he is like my baby, and I created him, Awwww. Anyway, enjoy the next installment!)**_

Chapter Eleven: Jealously is Unbecoming

Her azure eyes watched his change in expression, from serene and happy to hateful in a matter of seconds. Kurai moved off the fragile girl and narrowed his eyes in hatred at the cat. It was obvious something was going to happen.

"What the hell has it got to do with you, you dumb little kitty?" Kurai cursed. Tohru watched, her heart pulsating harder deep inside her chest. She could see how angry Kyo was, his eyes had darkened considerably and it was all her fault. She saw how his hands had balled into fists, he wanted to fight Kurai.

"IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ME!" He shouted back, just as loud. Tohru mentally flinched; this was not going to end favourably for either of them. She knew Kyo had a beastly temper but she had never seen Kurai really infuriated. She watched as he got off the bed and squared up to Kyo, being a foot taller than him. He smirked;

"You're just jealous-"

"I AM NOT JEALOUS! I AM ANGRY!" He shouted at the red-headed boy. Tohru swallowed hard, it was a good job no-one else was home right now otherwise everyone would be aware of this issue. This was not looking good. Kurai kept his smile, mocking Kyo;

"There is nothing to be angry about, I was only kissing her"

"THAT IS WHY I AM ANGRY YOU DAMNED FOX!" Tohru saw Kyo's fists trembling, the anger was filling his being and he would explode soon. For once she was more concerned for Kurai and kept an ever watchful eye on the red-head. She prayed he would not get hurt. Kurai sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Look moggy I haven't got time to play your stupid games. Get over yourself seriously and grow a pair. Can't you see that she doesn't love you?" There was a pause and Tohru felt a cold chill attack her bones. It was as if she could feel Kyo's pain, she knew those words hurt deep down. His eyes were focused at the ground, his fists shaking in rage. Why was he keeping so much self control?

"JUST SHUT THE HELL UP, I DON'T WANNA HEAR YOUR DAMNED IRRITATING GIRLY WHINING!" Kyo screeched at Kurai, almost at breaking point. Tohru nervously fidgeted on the spot, this was all her fault. She should have been a little more considerate towards Kyo and his feelings towards her but she could not help prevent her feelings for the red-head. They were too strong to ignore.

Suddenly she gasped and placed her hand over her mouth when she saw Kurai grab Kyo's throat. He mocked him with a smile as he pushed the orange-haired boy against the door violently.

"Don't you EVER tell me to shut up! You got that?" He warned. Kyo's face was a mixture of both pain and anger right now and Tohru was starting to worry. Both these boys would destroy each other if they were not careful.

"Or what? You gonna hit me?" Kyo retorted, smiling slightly, knowing that this would really irritate the fox. Tohru watched apprehensively as Kurai slammed Kyo off the door again and she flinched. She wanted to intervene right now but her body was frozen to the spot.

"Don't think your all high and mighty kitty; I am more than willing to put you in your place right now. You think you even have a chance against me? Ha, you can't even beat that rat!" Tohru closed her eyes tightly after she watched Kyo grab Kurai's collar in defence. Both of them were furious and wanted to bestow punishment on each other.

"At least Yuki is worth fighting. You're just a reject, you're not worth the energy-" Kyo mocked, his smile seemingly demonic in appearance. She kept her eyes closed, refusing to watch this scene any longer. She wanted to scream but the only thing she could do was plead;

"Stop it!" They both turned to her, hands over her face, obviously distressed at this situation. Kurai felt guilty for allowing himself to get riled up, to even go down to Kyo's level of behaviour. Her body trembled as she started to cry. Seeing both of them so demonic, so angry with each other killed her heart and she could not stop those bitter tears.

"Look what you have done!" Kurai screeched at Kyo, slamming him against the wall for a final time before releasing him. He started to walk over to Tohru, who was trying her utmost to block out the noise, to block out the scene in her mind. Kyo rubbed his back as he kept giving death glares to Kurai's figure. He watched as he shuffled on the bed beside Tohru and held her as she cried into his top. Kyo felt angry but also upset. He wanted to cry, to lash out, and to show everyone that this was not ok. He had made his choice now, he would tell the others. He would tell Yuki and Shigure that he was here with her and then this would all be sorted.

"Go to hell you filthy rodent-" Kyo cursed under his breath as he turned his head away. He did not want to see her crying any more and more to the point he did not want to see his enemy holding her and comforting her. As Kurai gently held her he gazed up at the orange haired boy. His body language signalled that this feud would not be over yet. It would continue for some time.

"Kyo, do us all a favour and go away. You're giving me a migraine from just looking at you-" Kurai added in coyly, still gently rubbing Tohru's tense shoulders.

"HOW ABOUT YOU FRIKKIN GO AWAY? YOU'RE NOT EVEN MEANT TO BE HERE!" Kyo started again, his voice rising in pitch. Tohru shuddered once more, calling out;

"Both of you STOP! Please…" She cried loudly again and it was Kurai who supported her, who shushed down her sobs. After a few more minutes of glaring Kyo emitted a small sigh and left the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

* * *

><p>The atmosphere in the room was choking to some degree and all Tohru could do was cry in the arms of the red-headed boy. Even though she had just witnessed his violent outburst she did not feel the need to be afraid. He was nothing but sincere and kind to her, he always protected her and looked after her. She was his and that was how it was going to stay.<p>

"I am sorry-" He said quietly, trying to calm her nerves. She weakly nodded in his arms. It was not only due to the fact they were at fisticuffs that made her so distraught, it was the fact it was Kyo and Kurai, both of them were so similar yet they hated each other. It did not seem to make much sense to her. Gently he kissed the top of her head and kept his arms around her. He glanced to the window, it was starting to get dark outside as night was congealing around them, covering them in its ominous darkened veil.

"Please…" She muttered, getting his attention "…stop fighting, it's not right"

"I know; I am sorry. He just pissed me off, I am sorry" Kurai apologised again, feeling as if he was the one in the wrong in all of this. Again he received a weak nod from her and rested his chin on top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair. She removed her hands from the red-head's top and wiped her own face. He watched her, his narrow hazel eyes never leaving her countenance, awaiting a change in expression. He felt guilty deep inside, it was his doing that made her cry and right now he could not forgive himself. He sighed;

"Maybe I should leave to give you some time alone-"

"No, please don't-" She pleaded, looking up at his face, her azure eyes sparkling with fresh tears that would trickle down her cheeks at any moment. She gently tugged on his arm and shook her head;

"I don't want you to go, if you go then…" She swallowed hard as she struggled to say it "…I might never see you again-" Her head drooped as that thought made her even more distressed than before. He nodded, he understood. If she wanted him to stay then he would and he was fine with that. Once more he wrapped his arms around the fragile girl and enjoyed these precious moments, just being able to hold her like this was enough.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile downstairs Kyo was still furious. He really needed to vent his anger right now. He could not believe Kurai had the guts to even square up to him like that. He had no idea that the red-head's temper would be to that degree. He released a sigh, too upset and angry to care about anything right now. So lost in his own problems he did not hear the front door open and Shigure and Yuki walked inside.<p>

"We're home~!" Shigure sang happily, already grating on Kyo's wavering nerves.

"There is no need to sing about it-" Yuki commented, hanging up his coat on the coat rack. Shigure made a sulking face as they both made their way towards an angry cat. As they neared him Yuki walked past, completely oblivious but it was Shigure who noticed. He paused and gazed down at the orange-top, who refused to even make eye contact.

"Kyo, are you still sulking?" He asked.

"It's none of your business-" Kyo replied weakly, head in his hands. Yuki stopped to look back, to see that Kyo's face expressed not only anger but also depression. It was not what he was accustomed to seeing. He decided to enquire about this also.

"Kyo, is this about Ms. Honda again?" There was a pause as Kyo's body began to tremble slightly once more. The images of the red-head flooded his mind, at how demonic he looked when he smashed him against the door in rage, at how he could hold Tohru and not transform. It was unfair.

"Kurai is in her room right now-" He muttered, his voice lacking his usual tones, it was monotone and emotionless right now. Yuki's dark eyes widened and he looked at Shigure. He shrugged, not knowing what to do.

"Is this true? Is he there right now?" He asked, slightly alarmed. Kyo weakly nodded, head remained in his hands.

"Well this is a pickle isn't it?" Shigure mused, placing a hand to his chin in thought. Ever since her meeting with Akito and how she had sobbed so hard when Akito said all those things about Kurai was when they finally realised she liked him a lot more than just a friend.

"Shall we go and check on her?" Yuki asked, he did not know whether it would be favourable or not. He knew that Tohru had feelings for the red-head and their interference might induce her to hate them and that was the one thing Yuki did not want. Shigure shrugged once more.

"Maybe you could check a bit later, I am starving!"

"Your always hungry, we ate at the main house!" Yuki stated, placing a hand to his forehead in annoyance. The rambling dog really tested his sanity at times. Shigure snickered and wondered off to the kitchen in search of a few snacks. This left both Yuki and Kyo in the living room. Yuki's eyes focused on a mark on Kyo's neck, on appearance it looked like bruising but he was not sure.

"Kyo, what's happened to your neck?" He enquired, watching as Kyo pulled up his shirt to cover the marks.

"Its nothing-" He lied.

"It looks like a bruise to me, did you fight someone?" Yuki kept his eyes focused on the cat, at how every time he mentioned the bruise he would shudder for a moment.

"It's nothing just STOP ASKING ALL THESE GOD DAMN QUESTIONS!" He screeched at the collected rat. Yuki remained calm, he knew that this time his anger was not directly aimed at him, Kyo was furious at someone else, Kurai.

"Did you fight with Kurai?" He asked bravely, seeing Kyo's grip on his head increase somewhat. Maybe that was the reason for the choking atmosphere that had shrouded the house.

"It's none of your business-" It was a weak reply and Yuki sighed; he was not going to get any reasonable answer out of Kyo yet. He decided it would be better to talk to Tohru about this, she probably knew more about it. In a few hours he would inspect the room to see if Kyo was right about Kurai being there, if he was there things were sure to get ugly.

* * *

><p>Once she got into her pyjamas and Kurai had the decency to turn around to allow her change in privacy they both sat on the bed, talking about mind numbing subjects. Kurai spoke of the project and if he would actually be allowed into the school.<p>

"Yes, I'll talk to my tutor on Monday and it should be fine" She smiled and he did the same. The idea of going to school seemed slightly nerve racking for the red-head. He was used to people hating him, screaming utter filth at him and he had no idea if school would be the same.

"Do I have to wear a uniform?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at her. She shook her head.

"No, you're a visitor. Don't worry about that" At least that was a relief, wearing a uniform did not seem very favourable. Tomorrow was Sunday, there was one more day left before he would accompany Tohru to school and he was a little excited about it. Tohru was too, she could not wait to introduce Kurai to her friends, Uo and Hana and not have to worry about him transforming into an animal around them.

"I'll introduce you to my friends too! They will really like you!" She said; a large smile spread across her face. Kurai seemed a little taken back by the comment and felt slightly embarrassed.

"I hope so, I have never been to school so I don't know what to expect" He scratched the back of his head nervously. He hoped that it was not as ominous as his mind was portraying it to be. The positive side to this equation was that no-one at school were aware of his curse so they would not hate him for that.

"You'll be fine!" Tohru encouraged, gently rubbing his arm. He nodded weakly; maybe mixing with other humans would help him know how to fit in better, so he would not stand out so much. He watched as Tohru yawned loudly, maybe she was tired. He had no clue to what the time was; all he knew was that it was very dark outside. Considering he was a fox his nocturnal instincts seemed to awaken around this time so he was not really tired.

"Are you tired Tohru?" He asked softly. She slowly nodded, rubbing her eyes with her hand. He smiled. He did not mind if she went to sleep right now, at least he would be with her, holding her and protecting her. He shuffled over to his side of the bed and stood up. She slowly eased herself into the soft embrace of her bed and settled her head on a pillow, turning away from him. She knew he would get changed again and she wanted him to change in privacy. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the images that flooded her mind. Even though she was a genuine girl, a naïve girl at that she could not help but feel the demon inside awaken around him and she had to try to quell it down.

"Hey, don't fall asleep yet" He said, with a smile. She nodded and snuggled against the pillow, sighing dreamily. She would spend another night with his arms around her, with him being near her and she liked that. She liked to feel safe.

A few more moments and then she felt the covers beside her move and then he eased himself beside her. She turned around now, watching as he pulled the duvet over his naked shoulders, smiling at her. She felt her cheeks burn but smiled nonetheless. She scooted over to him and rested her head on his chest, sighing once more. He was warm and comfortable and she loved it. She felt his fingers start to comb through her hair as she inhaled his scent, enjoying how it intoxicated her body.

"I…" Tohru started, feeling a lump congeal in her throat and managing to wash it away. "… I have never loved anyone before…" Kurai smiled as he held the girl closer to him, enjoying how warm she was against him.

"Neither have I, I guess there is a first time for everything" He gently kissed the top of her head as his fingers kept stroking her hair, feeling how soft every strand was. She shuffled slightly against him and kept her head resting on his hard, yet comfortable chest. It was perfect in her eyes, this moment was everything she had ever dreamed of and she did not want it to be taken away from her.

"I feel like there are butterflies in my stomach when I'm with you-" She mumbled, gently stroking circles on his chest with her index finger.

"Yeah, me too. I think that is natural though"

"I like it" She added in, smiling. Once again he kissed her head as they enjoyed their sweet rapture together. He thought to himself as he held her, this feeling was better than any feeling he had ever experienced in his life. He finally felt human emotions, emotions of love and desire and he accepted them with open arms. It was a significant change to feel like this instead of feeling the urge to die due to being tortured. He was glad he made that conscious decision to escape and to find his place with her.

"Do you want to sleep yet?" he asked curiously. She shook her head against his chest.

"No, I want to enjoy this for a few more minutes" Her eyes were closed as she listened to the heavy thump of his heart deep inside his chest and she could feel the soft rise and fall of his chest every time he breathed in and out. She knew he was real, that he was here with her and the motion was lulling her to sleep. It was heaven. She rested her hand on his chest as she snuggled once more, enjoying everything he offered her, security, love and devotion. She had never experienced emotions to this degree before meeting the red-head. It truly was magical. Whilst lost in her own thoughts she felt his hand rest on top of hers and entwine his fingers with hers. For that moment the butterflies started up again, swarming violently within her stomach. It was an odd feeling but she did not hate it, it made her feel goose bumps and feel all mushy inside. Slowly, she whispered;

"I really do love you" He softly squeezed her hand to indicate her words had actually made an impact to him.

"I love you too-" He whispered back, his heart thundering inside, echoing throughout the walls of his body. He wanted this to last forever; he wanted to be carefree, to not have to worry about being taken away. That was not possible, he knew that there was always a risk to his existence being unfairly snatched away from her, and he knew it would rip her heart to pieces. He did not want that, he wanted her to be happy and jovial like he was accustomed to. With his other arm he reached over to the lamp and turned it off, allowing the veil of darkness to consume their figures as they drifted off into a slumber. His fingers kept their lock on hers, never loosening their grasp as they entered the dream world together.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile downstairs Yuki looked up at the clock, it was almost midnight now and he decided it would be the best time to enquire about what had occurred while they were absent. Kyo had retired to bed early and Shigure was still in his office, on the phone to his editor who was whining about the manuscripts not being done on time. Yuki really felt sorry for that poor woman, how she put up with the rambling dog he had no idea. As he eased himself off the sofa he inhaled sharply. What would he do if he discovered Kurai there? He had not seen him since he was a child so his appearance would be different. He wondered if he would get angry upon seeing him with Tohru or if he would try to accept it for her sake. Thinking about it would not ease his mind so he started his journey up the stairs. Every step seemed to make this process take longer than necessary. Was he really doing the right thing?<p>

As he got closer to the door he could feel his own heart start to beat wildly inside his chest. It was as if he knew something was wrong, that he would not like what he would see. Slowly he managed to twist the door handle and pulled it so the door swung open. It was dark and he could hardly make out anything. He squinted to see her relaxed figure, asleep in her bed. He smiled; at least she was at ease right now. After his eyes got adjusted to the dark veil his smile disappeared. He saw another figure in her bed; she was lying on top of him. His eyes widened as he saw who it was, it was Kurai. He was here, sleeping in the same bed as her. Deep inside Yuki did not feel anger, he felt something different. He knew that Tohru liked the fox boy a lot more than they hoped she would.

He kept watching as they both looked so peaceful and at ease in their dream world. Yuki could not help but feel content at watching them. It seemed unfair to tell on her antics to Shigure or Kyo and so with that he left the room quietly. As he shut the door he had a small smile on his face, perhaps trying to accept Kurai would be easier than he thought; now the major issue would be to do with Kyo. He knew that Kyo would not be the easiest of people to win round but he would try. Yuki made it his objective to speak to Tohru about this calmly, to discover if she really did like the red-head to a considerable degree. If that was the case then he would try to accept it, for her…

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><p><em><strong>(Thank you all who review! I am glad everyone loves Kurai and Tohru as a pairing! I want people to comment if I should write a lemon or not . I don't know yet but it can be arranged. Thank you all again and keep on reviewing! It inspires me.)<strong>_


	13. Somewhere Inbetween

_**Yet another installment for all you guys who review at every chapter! Thank you. A big shout out to Otaco and Evil Neko for reviewing, I love you so much! This is for you guys! Enjoy~!)**_

Chapter Twelve: Somewhere In-between

_The sun warmed her back as she walked onwards, her destination unknown at this precise moment in time. All she was aware of was the trees either side of her and an endless path apparently leading to nowhere. Something warm clutched her hand which gave her instant support and courage. Where was she? Her azure her wandered around the pastel scenery, trees, flowers and grass all in lush shades of greens and browns and all seemingly the same. She wondered where she was and why she could not stop her feet from walking towards nowhere._

_Now she gave her eyes an opportunity to look down at the warmth invading her hand. She saw it was another hand, slightly tanned compared to her own pale complexion. Her eyes traced upwards, following to an arm and then a dark jacket and finally resting on a familiar face. It smiled at her. She knew immediately who this was, this was Kurai and they were here together. Where here was exactly she did not know. She tried to speak;_

_ "Where are we going?" She felt his hand squeeze hers slightly as he kept his smile._

_ "We are going for a little walk" She weakly nodded, knowing that she had never before seen this place. It was a wood but it was not a wood she had ever seen before. Perhaps it was a figment of her imagination? As she tried to conjure up various possibilities within her mind she felt her feet stop walking. They both stopped, his hand in hers, never leaving. She looked upwards at the beautiful blue sky and watched it alter before her eyes. It darkened considerably with ominous clouds congealing around the sun. She could hear rumbling of thunder in the distance and the air around her seemed to get suddenly cold. A chilling blast tugged at her hair as it escaped into the atmosphere and now she knew this place was not where she wanted to be. She felt cold, too cold, but her hand felt warm. Kurai was here with her, that was one positive note._

_As they started up walking once more she could feel his hand trembling in hers. She was not sure if it was the cold doing this or the fact he was scared. Her azure eyes scanned his countenance, his eyes seemed lost, and he seemed lost in this world. It was as if he had given up on something and she did not know what yet._

_ "I knew you would come back to me-" A cold voice entered her ears, making her shudder suddenly. They paused once more. She squinted in the distance, at the path ahead of her. There was a dark figure, a slim figure and she had a gut instinct she knew who this was. Her heart started dangerous palpitations within her chest as the figure got closer. She recognised those dark evil eyes, she recognised that wicked grin. It was Akito. Instinctively she grabbed Kurai's arm tightly and refused to let him go, there was no way she would allow him to take Kurai away from her._

_ "Akito leave us alone!" She screamed out in protest, already feeling tears fill up her eyes. Her lip started to quiver as the figure got closer, nearing her half-Kitsune. Kurai was mute, he did not utter a sound. The only sound Tohru heard was the steady sound of his breathing. She wished he would protest too, to fight off Akito and to stay safe with her. _

_Her azure eyes watched as Akito neared, standing a few feet away from the couple. He kept his malicious smile and she held Kurai's arm tighter. She could feel her legs' quaking as the thought of Kurai being taken away was killing her slowly._

_ "Kurai, the time has come. Come back to your home, we miss you-" Akito said coyly, chuckling under his statement. Tohru watched helplessly as the red-head hypnotically removed her hands from his arm and walked onwards towards his doom. She shook her head; she did not want to believe he had chosen to go back.  
>"No Kurai you can't go back! You promised me! You said you would stay with me!" She screamed out, tears now falling down her pale cheeks. Her eyes watched as Kurai's face was devoid of emotion. It was as if he was Akito's puppet and it hurt to see him like this. It was a terrible nightmare. She heard Akito's heart rendering laugh echo throughout the pastel wood, sending shivers down her spine. He grabbed the red-heads arm roughly and muttered;<em>

_ "Let's go, we don't need to waste any more time. Everyone has missed you" Kurai gave a weak nod as Akito pulled him away and down the road, the path that lead to nowhere._

_Tohru instinctively ran after him, it wasn't too late, she could get to him in time. As she ran it felt as if she was not moving. The figures of both Akito and Kurai seemed to disappear almost immediately as she continued to run. It was as if she was in quick sand and it was hopeless to get out. Now the realisation sunk into her system and she dropped to the ground, crying loudly. He was gone, Akito had won. Placing her hands over her face she screamed;_

_ "No Kurai, please don't leave me! Come back!"_

* * *

><p>Quickly she shot upwards, a glaze of sweat covering her forehead. She slowly wiped her brow, inhaling sharply. Was that a dream she just had? Her eyes glanced to beside her and sure enough the red-head was there, sleeping peacefully. His mouth slightly a-jar and mumbling inarticulate sounds from his lips. She breathed a sigh of relief; that was the worst dream she had ever had in her life so far. It felt real, the pain in her chest, seeing his face so devoid of emotion, it all seemed real. She rubbed her forehead trying to awaken properly. She had no idea what the time was. Her eyes glanced over to the window, seeing the sun was rising in the distance. It was about 6am she presumed and it would be a good idea to get breakfast done for Kurai before the others awakened from their slumbers. Yawning loudly and stretching out her limbs she slowly eased herself out of bed and left the room, ready to make Kurai breakfast.<p>

As she entered the kitchen she started her search for what Kurai would like to eat. She knew he liked eggs so perhaps she could make boiled eggs with soldiers? A small smile spread across her face as she was relieved that it was only a dream. If Kurai was actually taken away like that it would almost kill her. As she grabbed a box of eggs from the fridge she heard shuffling behind her. Quickly turning around she beamed;

"Yuki, you're up early aren't you?" This was bad, Yuki would know that she was only making breakfast for Kurai and then he would have to leave. She turned around, trying to block him out, placing the eggs of the counter.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about yesterday" He muttered, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he settled down at the table.

"What about yesterday?" She answered, trying not to sound too nervous. Yuki sighed, placing his elbows on the table and resting his head in his hands;

"Kyo was pretty ruffled up yesterday and he would not tell me the reason for it. Do you know why?" There was a pause as she thought, did Kyo mention Kurai? As she reached for the bread she giggled to relieve the tension.

"How would I know, Kyo never tells me anything-"

"He said Kurai was in your room yesterday-" Yuki added in, making Tohru drop a slice of bread on the floor. She felt her heart start to beat quicker, this was bad, Yuki did know about Kurai and now she had made it obvious by acting so odd. She bent down to retrieve the runaway slice and mumbled;

"Yes, he was-"

"Did Kyo get into a fight with him?" Yuki asked calmly, trying not to sound too worried about the cat's antics. As she placed the slice in the bin she swallowed hard. She needed to be honest with Yuki; after all, Yuki was a loyal friend to her so she could afford to be honest this time.

"Well, not really. Kyo got angry at him and they almost had a fight but I told them to stop" She answered, preoccupying herself with breakfast once more.

"Then that was the reason for the bruises around his neck. Of course he was not going to tell me about his scrap with the fox, especially if he lost to him too-" Yuki gave a small chuckle under his breath as he watched Tohru make breakfast. He smiled;

"Is that breakfast for Kurai?" She stopped again, what was with these questions? She weakly nodded;

"Yes, I am sorry"

"Why are you apologising? I saw you two last night in your room" She quickly turned around, her eyes wide in astonishment. Yuki saw them? She felt herself start to perspire slightly as she saw his dark eyes boring holes into her. She bowed her head slightly; she felt the need to apologise;

"I… am sorry-"

"Stop saying sorry Ms. Honda. I had a feeling you would ignore our advice when it came down to it. It is fine, but I need to ask you something very important now" She watched as he face transformed into a solemn look and she nodded quickly;  
>"Yes Yuki, go ahead-" He coughed slightly;<p>

"Do you love him?"

She could feel her heart start thundering inside as hearing those words ring her head made the realisation hit her. Would Yuki hate her just like Kyo did if she told him? She looked away, feeling embarrassed about this situation. Slowly she managed to choke out the words;  
>"Yes, Yes I do"<p>

"That is all I needed to know" He concluded with a smile. Tohru seemed shocked by Yuki's sudden change of heart towards the red-head, had something happened back at Akito's?

"Why the sudden change of heart? You hated Kurai not too long ago" She asked, turning around to continue breakfast before the others woke up.

"Yes, well, when we were at Akito's he told us the tale of Kitsune's and most of it was too farfetched to be real. I thought about it, about how he behaves with you and how happy you seem to be when you're around him. It seemed completely different to what he was telling us so I knew he was lying. He was making it up to get us all on side and I got wise to the game. I looked across to Shigure and by the looks of it he agrees with me on this one. Akito has been making up these lies about Kurai, saying he is devious and hateful and what not when in actual fact he does not seem to be like that at all-" Tohru could not help but smile at his monologue, it was sweet that Yuki actually seemed to not mind the red-head anymore. He might even begin to like Kurai if they made a conscious effort to speak to each other;

"Thank you Yuki" She mumbled, waiting for the eggs to be boiled.

"You do not need to thank me Ms. Honda. As long as he makes you happy then I have no objection" She turned around and saw him smiling at her. She felt overjoyed right now and her instincts made her leap forwards and wrap her arms around the boy in the chair. A poof was heard and purple smoke emitted from the scene. Once the smoke cleared it revealed Yuki in his rat form and Tohru holding him in her hands. She snuggled against his soft fur as she murmured;

"He makes me very happy Yuki and now I am even happier. You do not hate him, you actually are giving him a chance and this makes me so happy!"

"It's good to see you smile Ms. Honda and as long as he can keep making you smile then I will be fine with it" Yuki said, still being snuggled against by Tohru. Slowly she realised and gently placed him back on the floor and turned around quickly. It was an instant reaction to hug him, even though she knew he would transform into a rat. Hopefully he would not mind. Another poof was heard a few minutes later and Yuki quickly put on his clothes. Tohru kept her smile, happy that Yuki was on her side and not against her and the fact it would also please Kurai.

She placed the boiled eggs in a cup and put them on a tray, followed by the pieces of toasted bread. She hoped he would appreciate her hard work. She picked up the tray and headed towards the door, her face beaming with happiness.

"You should say hello to Kurai sometime, I know he would appreciate it" She said with a smile. Yuki nodded.  
>"I might just do that Ms. Honda. I'll say hello after he has eaten if you like?"<p>

"That would be wonderful" She said, happily walking out of the kitchen and up to her abode to her sleeping fox. She wondered if Kurai would become good friends with Yuki and if they could somehow get Kyo to put his differences aside. He was the one with the issues right now and they needed to get them sorted out and quickly.

* * *

><p>She quietly opened the door to her room to see that he was still asleep. Half the covers on the bed were now draped on the floor and he was sleeping on his stomach, one arm gently touching the floor. She giggled to herself as she placed the tray on the bedside table. She kept her eyes focused on his sleeping form as she settled beside him. Tohru raised a hand to his tanned complexion and tentatively stroked his cheek which was soft like velvet to the touch and pleasantly warm. She watched as his body twitched suddenly and his eyelids started to flicker. He would awaken soon and she could not wait to tell him the good news. She kept her azure eyes focused on him as his eyes started to open, revealing the soft hazel colouring she loved so much. She smiled;<p>

"Morning Kurai, I have breakfast for you-" He slowly shuffled into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes sleepily and yawning loudly.

"Ah, thanks" He mumbled, still half asleep. She reached over and grabbed the tray and placed it beside the red-head's form. He allowed his hazel eyes to get adjusted to being opened and depicted the image of the food in front of him.

"I hope you like eggs, I read about it somewhere that foxes like them-" He gave her a small smile;

"You know me too well-" She watched as he started to eat the food she had prepared for him. Deep within she wondered if she should enlighten him about her terrible dream that got her perspiring uncontrollably. It was the worst nightmare she had ever been involved in. As he ate the food she sighed, deciding to tell him her tale;  
>"I had a nightmare last night"<p>

"Oh did you? What was it about?" He asked; his eyes focused on her sudden change in expression. She looked downwards at the bed and nervously fidgeted on the spot;

"I dreamt about Akito taking you away from me, it was horrible" He paused in eating and saw how her face was full of despair and sorrow. He shook his head;

"That will never happen, don't worry about it. Trust me, even if I have to kill him to stay free I will" He winked at her and she chuckled slightly. The thought of Kurai killing Akito seemed slightly humorous even if it was bad.

"It felt so real-" She added in.

"Well I'm still here, no-one has taken me away-" He said, trying to uplift her spirits. She nodded, it was true, and she was being silly. He would never break a promise that important. She watched as he quickly finished the food and placed the tray on the other bedside table.

"That was lovely, thank you so much" He said, giving her a small kiss on the cheek. She felt her cheek burn at his touch and looked away shyly. How did he have this effect on her?

"Oh no, it was no trouble honestly!" She said; waving her arms about madly, deterring the fact she was blushing like crazy. He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her, nuzzling into her soft hair.

"What did I do to deserve you?" He asked, giving her a small squeeze as she felt even more embarrassed. Compliments were hard to deal with it seemed in her case.

"I have some good news for you-" She started; feeling now would be the perfect chance to make him aware of the fact Yuki was warming to their situation.

"Really? What kind of news?" Kurai asked, raising an eyebrow to her. She smiled;

"Yuki saw us in here last night-" She watched as Kurai's expression changed from relaxed to horror in a matter of seconds. She giggled and carried on;  
>"Don't look so scared! He is fine with it, he said that as long as you make me happy he is fine with it" Kurai seemed to calm down a little after hearing that. It was odd how the rat had changed his mind so suddenly, how had this happened? Kurai scratched his head with his other hand, looking thoughtful;<p>

"Why has he changed his opinion of me?"

"He said Akito told him some things that made no sense and he knew from that. Maybe you should talk to him yourself" She pursued. She wanted Yuki and Kurai to at least be on speaking terms, it would make this a whole lot easier to deal with. He gave her a curious look, as if to say 'are you insane?'

"Do you really think that is a good idea?" He asked.

"Of course! She beamed happily "-Yuki is a good friend of mine and he has been nothing but kind to me so I think you two will get on great!" Kurai mentally kicked himself, he was not as confident as she was.

* * *

><p>As if on command a small knock sounded at the door making Kurai jump up slightly. Tohru knew who this was; it was none other than Yuki.<p>

"Is that you Yuki?" She asked; just to make sure it was the rat and not Kyo.

"Yes Ms. Honda. Is it okay to come in?" She giggled, seeing how nervous Kurai was about talking to a member of his own family. Even if they were distant relatives they were still family, it seemed only right to get them to talk.

"Yes it is fine" The door was pushed to and Yuki stepped in, a smile scarring his lips as he tried to make a good first impression. Kurai watched him intently with narrowed hazel eyes. He could not trust the rat just yet, he was still unsure.

"Ah, this must be Kurai" Yuki said, motioning towards the red-head who was stiff and apprehensive to the intruder. Tohru nodded and smiled;

"Yes, he is nervous around strangers" Yuki nodded and allowed himself to sit on the edge of the bed. Kurai kept his eyes burning into Yuki, watching for any slight indication of violence. Yuki turned his dark eyes to the red-head and said calmly;  
>"I want to assure you of one thing-" Kurai listened to his speech "-as long as you keep Ms. Honda happy then I shall not have any objections to you seeing her. I will not tell anyone of this and I hope that perhaps you and I can come to an understanding" Kurai raised an eyebrow at the rat, not knowing if this was a trick or if he was being truthful.<p>

"An understanding?" He repeated.

"Yes, I think it would be good if you and I were at least on speaking terms. It would make Ms. Honda happy I am sure" Kurai turned his attention to the girl beside him, who was smiling. Maybe Yuki was right. He weakly nodded.

"Fine, whatever"

"That is great news!" She beamed happily, wrapping her arms around Kurai's neck in joy. He chuckled as he knew she was over the moon with this set-up. As long as it made her happy Kurai had no issues with it.

"It has been so long since I last saw you Kurai-" Yuki added in, his eyes now tracing the circles in the carpet "-I remember the last time we saw you. You were so young and frightened and I was so cruel and heartless to not offer to help you. I watched you suffer and I regret that. I know that Akito is malicious at times and expresses his feelings through violence but towards you it was a different story. He really abused you-" Kurai looked downwards; this subject was one he did not wish to talk about right now. Tohru released Kurai from her arms and looked on, curious to know what actually happened.

"Can we not talk about this?" Kurai murmured, trying to block out the images that flashed across his mind of his tormented childhood.

"I am sorry; I was just saying that is how long it has been since I last saw you. You have changed so much"

"Yeah, so have you-" Kurai added in, not even bothering to look at Yuki directly in the eyes. It was too much effort in his opinion. Tohru watched both boys eagerly, hoping that they would get along and one day become friends.

"I am so glad you two are talking!" Tohru beamed happily trying to cut through the tension. They both weakly nodded at her statement. Perhaps it would take longer than she envisioned for them to be acquainted with each other. Yuki stood up slowly. He decided that now would be the best time to leave. He did not want to prolong his stay if he was making things uncomfortable. This would suffice for now. He turned to Tohru and smiled;

"Anyway I better go now, have to tend to my vegetables. I will see you later"

"Yes you will; goodbye Yuki" She said happily. Kurai did not say goodbye, he merely nodded at Yuki and they both watched as the rat escaped the room as if he never even entered.

* * *

><p>Kurai sighed, placing a hand to his forehead. Something was not right. Tohru looked on with worried eyes.<p>

"Kurai are you okay?" He quickly looked across at her and nodded;

"Yeah I am fine, Yuki bought back some painful memories, that is all" He sighed once more, trying to erase those images, the times where he would hurt too much to sleep, where he was frightened to sleep in case Akito hurt him again. Those times were the worst.

"I am sorry-" Tohru issued, looking downwards.

"Hey it's not your fault" Kurai said, trying to cheer her up. She gave a small nod, not really believing his words.

"Do you want to go out today?" he asked, completely off subject. This got her attention and she faced him directly;  
>"Go out? Where?" He shrugged;<br>"To the park?" She smiled; it seemed like a good idea. It would be the first time she would be able to 'show him off' in public so she practically jumped at the chance.

"I would love too!" He smiled;  
>"Good, it's a date then" She smiled also and wrapped her arms around the red-heads neck. Finally, she would be able to go out with him like a normal couple. The idea made her feel content and she could not wait for the time to pass. The day was starting off better than she would ever have expected and she hoped it could only get better.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Awwww yay for Yuki! I am sooo happy people are Kurai fans, I really love you all! He loves you all too even if he doesn't say it ^_^ Please review and thank you all!)<strong>_


	14. Not A Walk In The Park

_**(Hello again all~! I hope everyone is still enjoying this little story and I have two endings so far so keep on voting for either good or bad! It will influence my decision. Now, may I present you with the next chapter, enjoy!)**_

Chapter Thirteen: Not a Walk in the Park

Yuki sighed as he tapped his fingers against the wooden table in annoyance. He now knew that telling Shigure about this predicament was the worst mistake of his life. Luckily for Tohru, her and Kurai had left a few minutes previous to this and she was blissfully unaware. For how long she would remain oblivious Yuki was unsure of.

"Oh well isn't this a problem. I can't allow him to stay in the same room as our little flower"

"We don't have much choice-" Yuki added in, sighing under his breath. It was odd how Shigure had accepted the fact so easily, as if he knew from the get-go. Maybe he knew a lot more than he let on. Shigure pulled a sulking face;

"But Yuki aren't you concerned about Tohru's welfare being in the same room as the devious fox? Anything could be happening in there and we would all be none the wiser" Yuki rolled his dark eyes at the rambling dog, as if Tohru did not have any morals. It was wrong to even consider those thoughts.

"Ms. Honda is not easy you stupid dog, even if she loves Kurai she will not succumb to his seductions just yet"

"How can you be so sure?" Shigure pursued, bending closer to the rat; who was starting to lose all patience.

"Trust me on this one, Kurai may be a lot of things but I don't think even he is ready for the relationship to go further. Haven't you even considered the fact they are far too inexperienced for any of this due to the fact Kurai has been locked away all his life and Tohru is too naïve to even be aware of it?" Shigure became mute as those words sunk in; Yuki did make a valid point. Sighing a little Shigure settled into a chair beside the rat. He was he the only one who had his mind in the gutter right now?

"I cannot help but worry-" He started up again, being just as dramatic as Ayame. Yuki hated him for that; and a lot more too.

"Well stop worrying, Ms. Honda is not ready for that kind of commitment yet. Trust me" Again Shigure sighed, emphasizing his distinct disapproval of the situation and Yuki rolled his eyes once more. Now he wished he had gone to the park with Kurai and Tohru, anything would be better than being here with the dog.

"Well, to make sure that they are not up to any shenanigans I shall phone Ayame and ask for his advice!" As Shigure stood up Yuki felt the need for the ground to open right now and take him to the pits of hell. He really did not wish to see his annoying older brother, at any cost.

"Please don't even bother calling that idiot. He will just make things worse"

"Yuki you should not say such horrible things about your brother! He will know more about this and how to deal with, I'll give him a call" As Shigure escaped the room Yuki slapped a hand to his forehead and released a heavy sigh. This would be tedious, he knew now perhaps he should have remained mute about the situation. Now Ayame was going to be aware of Kurai and everything was just going to be a huge mess. It was apparent.

* * *

><p>The fresh cool breeze wafting around her cheeks, as they walked slowly through the park. She had never felt more at ease than right now, it was perfect, the weather, being like this with him, all of it was perfection. She held his hand firmly and gave him heartwarming smiles every now and then. It really was a bonus to be able to be seen out in public with him, with not a care in the world.<p>

"Hey, you want to sit down for a bit?" He asked as they neared a bench. She paused and looked at it. They had been walking for some time so she quickly nodded and added in a small smile. As they both sat down Kurai breathed out sharply, it was as if all this walking was taking its toll on his body.

"This weather is beautiful" Tohru commented, looking up at the fluffy white clouds overhead. The sounds detected were the soft melodies of the birds in nearby bushes and the occasional person running past, busy with their exercise regime. He relaxed in the bench, spreading his arms over the back of it.

"Yes it is, it is a nice change to be able to enjoy the weather without the fear of being locked away" She nodded and snuggled up beside the half Kitsune, wrapping her arms around his waist and inhaling in his scent. She hoped every one could see right now, how perfect they were together and how she was determined to not allow anyone to take this away from her. It was too important.

"I don't want you to be locked up-" Tohru commented.

"I won't, don't worry" He assured, gently kissing the top of her head as she smiled. At least with Yuki on side it made things slightly easier to deal with. As she rested her head against his chest she closed her eyes, feeling the breeze gently waft around her face and escape once more into the atmosphere. It was such a lovely day, warm, sunny and with Kurai it made it even better.

"Hey, Tohru-" He started, nudging her into opening her eyes and raising her head up.

"Yes?"

"Some-one is waving to you over there-" He motioned with his hand to the distance. She sat up and squinted. All she could perceive was a faded image, a slim figure waving madly, dressed in green. She knew she recognised it but right now she could not think who it was. She found herself waving back and then she watched as the figure started to run nearer.

"Oh I know who it is now!" Tohru beamed, waving quicker than before, watching the slim figure approach her, her green dress blowing in the wind. Kurai looked onwards, seeing the unknown girl get closer to their position and remained mute.

The figure caught up to both Tohru and Kurai on the bench, panting. Obviously she was out of breath from the running sequence she just commenced in. Tohru smiled;

"Hey Kagura, it's nice to see you"

"Same… here-" She managed to utter in-between pants. For a few minutes Tohru actually forgot that the red-head was beside her.

"Who is this?" Kagura asked, pointing to Kurai, who looked at her immediately. Tohru looked to him and a huge smile scarred her face;

"This is Kurai" Kagura nodded and outstretched her hand.

"I am Kagura Sohma, pleased to meet you" Kurai seemed apprehensive at the unknown girl but nevertheless shook her hand nervously before muttering under his breath;

"I am Kurai, likewise-" Kagura gave a small smile before turning back to Tohru. She had a devious look in her eyes as she moved her glance between the two;

"Tohru, are you and him… an item?" She gave a cheeky wink as she watched the girl begin to blush furiously. Even Kurai seemed a bit taken back by the statement. He looked away, trying not to make it too obvious that he was embarrassed too. She weakly nodded;

"Errm… yes we are"

"Awwww how cute!" Kagura exclaimed happily, half happy that Tohru had finally got a boyfriend but also happy that Kyo was now all hers, again. Her comment made Tohru's cheeks felt hot once more and she knew Kurai would be just as embarrassed, if not more so.

"So… Kagura why are you here anyway?" Tohru asked, trying to desperately change the subject. Kagura looked thoughtful as her dark brown eyes scanned the sky for answers. Kurai now looked back at the two girls; at least the subject change had relieved some of the embarrassment.

"I came to see Kyo, is he at Shigure's?" Tohru looked downwards; she had no idea where Kyo was now, not ever since the argument.

"I have no idea, I haven't seen him"

"Oh that is a shame-" Kagura said, a small pout forming on her lips. It seemed she was still crazy about the cat and her emotions had not quelled at all. Kurai decided to talk, to become acquainted with this girl who was 'apparently' related to him. Luckily she was unaware of his existence.

"Do you like Kyo?" Kagura seemed a little shocked at Kurai's sudden outburst of speech but nodded nonetheless. Kurai sighed, shaking his head;

"That stupid kitty is nothing but a coward. He thinks he is all hard and stuff when he isn't. He pisses me off-" He added in on the end, turning away in disgust. Kagura's face was filled with shock and horror at the same time. She did not know whether she wanted to hit Kurai or to ask why. She decided on the latter.

"Why does Kyo piss you off? Have you met him?"

"Yes they met-" Tohru interrupted, deciding it would be beneficial if she explained. Her eyes looked downwards, knowing that Kagura would not be too thrilled about knowing Kurai almost hit her beloved cat.

"Yes, and?" Kagura said impatiently.

"They almost had a fight-" She said, tensing up as she knew Kagura would be angry. Surprisingly she was not angry, she was confused. Kurai looked back at the brown haired girl, wondering when she was going to bestow punishment upon his cursed head.

"Oh… my poor Kyo..." She mumbled weakly, already feeling her desire to see him increase.

"Maybe you should see him to see how he is?" Tohru added in with a smile. She could see that her comment made Kagura happy. Her face transformed from confused to happy within a matter of minutes.

"That is a great idea! Thank you Tohru! I will see you later, goodbye!" She waved goodbye to both of them as she happily skipped off, in search for the missing moggy.

Kurai sighed, placing a hand to his forehead as the image of Kagura disappeared into the distance. It seemed she was infatuated with him to a high degree. Tohru looked at the red-head, seeing his troubled countenance.

"Kurai, are you feeling okay?" She asked, her eyes scanning him intently. He weakly nodded.

"Yeah I am okay. Seems all members of the family are popping up all over the place like daisies now-" The statement did not seem favourable in his tone of voice and for some unknown reason she felt guilty. She knew that Kurai hated being around too many people and to be made a fuss of. She knew he liked be secluded and secretive.

"I am sorry-" She muttered, looking downwards.

"Hey, what have I told you about apologising for nothing? Stop it, there is nothing to feel sorry about" He said, giving her a smile.

She nodded, somehow feeling as if this was all her fault; that the reason everyone knew of his existence was due to her. He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him again, pressing her delicate form against his hardened chest. They remained like this for some time, just merely breathing in each other's existence and enjoying what little time they actually had together. Deep within Kurai knew; he knew that things do not remain perfect forever and he had to enjoy this opportunity while it was here and to not waste his precious time. Time was of the essence and soon it would run out.

* * *

><p>Back at the Sohma's Yuki winced as he heard the phone conversation that Shigure was having with his older, yet more immature brother. Why did they always flirt with each other? It was wrong on so many levels. Yuki sighed as he listened in.<p>

"Oh by the way Aya there is something I must tell you about. It is about Tohru. Yuki has told me that she is sharing a room with a guy!" Yuki placed a hand to his head; trust Shigure to get him involved. He continued to listen;

"Oh no it is not Kyo, even though we all thought it would be. It is an outsider to the family, his name is Kurai…. have you heard about him? Oh well that makes things easier to explain….. What?…. Oh no I have not had the pleasure of seeing him yet but Yuki has and he tells me that he treats Tohru well and she is happy" Yuki chuckled to himself, at least Shigure added that in as an afterthought. All Yuki desired right now was his brother to not suggest coming over to investigate for himself. He continued to listen in.

"That was what I was saying Aya, I am worried about it. I thought I would phone you and ask for your opinion….. What did you say?….. Oh no, I am not busy right now…. No, they are not in right now but they will be back soon… yes of course you can come over. It would be great to see you!" A huge sigh escaped Yuki's lips as the realisation sunk in. His brother would be visiting and he would have to hear his irritating voice, his pompous attitude and he would have to witness their flirtatious behaviour. It made him want to vomit.

"You'll come over soon? Oh well that is wonderful. Yes okay then, see you soon!" And with that the conversation ended.

As Shigure entered the room once more he was met with the evil death stare of Yuki. It was as if he wanted to kill that rambling dog right now. Shigure swallowed hard, knowing he was not happy with the set-up.

"Why did you say it was okay for him to come over?" He exclaimed at the dog who whimpered in fear.

"Oh Yuki he is just worried about Tohru, surely you should be able to understand that?" Yuki turned away from his presence, trying to block it all out. He really did not need Ayame's brash voice filling his head at any moment in time.

"Even so, I told you before you phoned him that I did not want him here"

"Now, now Yuki. He is your brother. You should want to see him" Yuki sighed, this was getting him nowhere. It seemed that Shigure was oblivious to his dislike towards Ayame.

"The important word in there was 'should' but I don't. I do not want to see him or hear him. He annoys the hell out of me-" Right now seeing that cowardly cat would be better than seeing Ayame. At least Kyo gave up after some time. Shigure started to pout like a child.

"But Yuki please understand… Ayame is coming over to help us all. He is going to find out about Kurai and about if Tohru is safe with him" Another slap to his forehead as Yuki could not even believe Shigure was still rambling on about that. He knew Kurai would not defile Tohru, even if he wanted to right now. He knew he was treading on very thin ice as it was.

"He isn't a disease infested mongrel you know. I have told you she is fine with him. Anyway I'm done talking, I'm going up to my room" He could hear Shigure's strangled whines as he left the room, feeling the energy drain from his body. He really did not want to see Ayame and he knew Kurai would not appreciate this either and it was all his fault.

A knock at the door sounded as Shigure paused in his sulking act and went to open the door. It couldn't have been Ayame already; he had only just put the phone down. Just who was it? As he slowly opened the door he seemed a little shocked.

"Ah Kagura, what a pleasant surprise" He said, trying to at least sound shocked. She nodded politely, out of breath once more, apparent she had been running here.

"Is… Kyo…. home" She said, in-between pants. Shigure placed a hand to his chin in thought.

"I am actually not sure about that. I haven't seen him for a while. Would you like to come in?" He asked, gesturing with his hand. She nodded and slowly walked inside as Shigure closed it behind her. He followed her as she wandered into the living room, looking around for the elusive kitty.

"I was told of his fight with Kurai-" Kagura mumbled as she continued her search. This seemed to be new to Shigure; Yuki had not mentioned a fight, only that he caught Kurai in her room.

"He had a fight with him?" he asked curiously, wanting more answers. She nodded as she sighed and sat down on the sofa, apparently giving up on her task. Why was it that Kyo had a tendency to run away when things got tough?

"Yes, I bumped into Tohru and Kurai at the park and she told me"

"Well doesn't that make things interesting-" Shigure mused to himself. This would be important to tell Ayame when he arrived, maybe that would aid in his decision making.

"I hope he is okay-" She murmured looking down at the ground sadly; it had been so long since she had actually last seen Kyo. Her love was literally bursting at seams.

"It's Kyo, he will be fine. As long as you don't trash my house then I have no problem" He added in, chuckling quietly. She weakly nodded, feeling a little lost without anyone being home apart from Shigure. It seemed so empty and she felt like she did not belong here. She sighed as she felt time drag on the longer she was here. She hoped Kyo was okay, that he was not hurt and that he was safe, wherever he was right now.

* * *

><p>Back in the park Kurai and Tohru had decided to grab some ice-cream at a nearby vendor and were walking blissfully onwards, eating their ice-cream. It was nice to share such precious memories with him, she had no idea that time was dwindling with every hour that passed, with every minute, every second.<p>

"How did you know that chocolate was my favourite?" Kurai asked, cheekily, giving her a small smile.

"I guess you could call it intuition" She announced, happily. She loved being able to walk freely with him, without worrying about anyone making judgments or about him transforming around others.

"You always know what my favourite foods are. What are you, psychic?" He pursued.

"Well, that would be telling wouldn't it?" She teased playfully as she took another lick of her ice-cream.

"You're no fun-" He whined, pulling a sad face which made her giggle. How was it possible for her to feel this content and happy with just a mere walk in the park? It was amazing.

As they walked onwards and ate their ice-cream a small child ran towards them, tears streaming down its cheeks. It was a boy, around the age of three, running wildly towards both of them. Tohru stopped walking and watched as the child ran past her and attached itself to Kurai's leg. His face froze, he seemed horrified. It was as if he had never seen a child before. She felt a laugh reside within her throat. Seeing his face so full of shock and horror made her die a little inside. It was quite cute to witness.

"Gah, what the hell?" He mumbled as the child continued to cry as he clutched onto his leg tightly. Tohru started to giggle, her ice-cream now meeting with the floor as it fell out of her hands;

"Awwww that is so cute!" She said with a smile, seeing how Kurai did not agree with her. He tried his best to get the child away but the child refused and held his leg tighter. Kurai sighed;

"What are we going to do now?"

"Wait for his Mother I suppose" Tohru said, trying to be calm. After seeing that, her insides were itching to cave in due to laughter. In the distance she could just depict the image of a woman running towards them, looks like she was nearer than they first thought.

"Yuck, he is dribbling all over my leg!" Kurai exclaimed in disgust as the child seemed to calm down. It was odd how he had calmed down so quickly with just being near to the half Kitsune.

"He seems to like you" She commented, seeing how the child almost seemed to smile at being near the red-head. Kurai mentally kicked himself, trust him to be the one children loved. He watched helplessly as the woman got nearer, hoping it would be soon so the child would allow his leg freedom once more.

"Yeah well, I don't like him-" He said, pointing to the child's mass of brown hair. Did he have an intense dislike to children?

"He is only a child Kurai, he doesn't know any better" She said, looking down at the innocent boy. He greeted her eyes with his own large green ones and smiled happily. At least that was better than crying. She giggled as she heard footsteps nearing both of them. A wave of relief washed over Kurai, thank goodness his mother was here.

"I am so terribly sorry for this!" The woman said quickly as she grabbed her son by the arm and slowly hoisted him away from Kurai. Surprisingly the boy did not cry anymore, he started to laugh.

"Oh no it was no trouble at all!" Tohru said, waving her arms around in protest. Kurai did not seem so thrilled however, he was glad that the child was gone.

"Now say sorry to the nice man Bobby!" The woman said to her son, pointing to Kurai who winced at being called a 'nice man'. The child called 'Bobby' looked up at Kurai, smiling, dribble running down his chin.

"Sowwi mister fox!"

Both Tohru and Kurai froze as the woman hurried away, telling her runaway son off the in process. How was it possible for him to know? Luckily his mother did not suspect anything due to the fact he was a mere child. Tohru looked to Kurai, who had by now also dropped his ice-cream on the floor. His face was a frozen look of fear.

"How did he know?" She questioned, wanting answers. Kurai sighed, he knew why there was a reason he hated children.

"It seems Children and other animals know my curse. It is as if they are mentally aware of it, I don't know. It confuses the hell out of me too-" Tohru nodded, not really understanding much of it but it did not matter. Ignorance was bliss right now. She grabbed his hand once more and smiled. It was time to head home, that had been enough excitement for one day and now it was time to rest. As they walked home they were unaware of the fact Ayame was on his way, to cause chaos and disorder wherever he went. This was sure to put Kurai in a bad mood for some time.

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><p><em><strong>(Thank you all who review and thanks to Venas for some ideas! You're a star! Review please and thanks!)<strong>_


	15. Deflowering

_**(Howdy there! It is my greatest pleasure to give the next installment to the fic! I hope everyone is still as engrossed as I am, I just keeping writing it. Please review and enjoy!)**_

_**(Ps: This chapter contains sexual references and undertones of sexual feelings, nothing too major)**_

Chapter Fourteen: Deflowering

It was getting late now as the sun began to set in the distance. Both Kurai and Tohru decided to go home and work a little more on her project as tomorrow she would be introducing him to her classmates. For some reason she knew he would be uncomfortable about it, perhaps due the fact he was not a people person and hated being surrounded by large groups. This was apparent when he tensed up around Kagura and how he freaked out when a mere child hugged him. It was odd in a way but nevertheless Tohru kept her smile. It did not matter if he was a recluse, she could deal with that, after all she did love him, flaws and all. They held hands as they trudged back to their abode. The day itself had gone well, they had both enjoyed their company together without the orange haired boy ruining their moments or spouting his mouth off at the red-head. Today had been surprisingly normal. She smiled as she felt the warmth that his hand generated, she had noticed that no matter what he was never cold, he was always at a perfect temperature and it made her dizzy at times.

"So… this school you talk about-" Kurai started, interrupting Tohru's chain of thoughts. She looked up at him and nodded as he continued. "- are there lots of people there?" She nodded once more;

"Yes of course, it is a school. It is full of people my age or younger" Kurai mentally kicked himself, the idea of being surrounded by a sea of babbling teenagers seemed to sicken him down to the stomach. He seemed to be almost allergic to humans, well, certain humans. She smiled and squeezed his hand to give him some comfort.

"Don't worry Kurai, you'll be fine!"

"I am glad you're so positive. I have no idea what to expect or how to behave… it's so… new to me-" He weakly replied, looking downwards as they walked home. She giggled quietly as she hugged his arm close to her body affectionately.

"Don't worry about it, just be yourself! That's what my mom always used to tell me!" He looked at her, at how she smiled so angelically and he nodded. Ok, maybe he was over-reacting slightly about the whole issue about going to school. It was a whole new experience and he might actually like it. He had also noticed this was the first time Tohru had spoke of her mother in conversations. He looked at her through warm hazel eyes;

"You never talk about your mom to me, did something happen to her?" She carried on walking, hugging his arm tighter to her chest as she remembered how painful those memories were. She had tried so hard to hide them, to almost erase them from her mind and to pretend her mother was fine when she was not. This was not the kind of subject to be taken lightly. She cleared her throat, attempting to confess everything to the red-head.

"My mom died… I don't like talking about her because it upsets me-" She murmured and he quickly nodded, understanding immediately. He had lost so much in his life too; his own mother had left him at a very young age that he hardly remembered her face, her smile or her words. It was all a fading memory and it faded fast.

"That is awful, I am sorry for bringing it up" He said quietly, feeling guilty. She shook her head as they walked, enjoying how the setting sun seemed to add a romantic touch to the scenery. It really was beautiful.

"It is fine, it was some time ago. I just don't like talking about it as much, I think it still hasn't sunk in properly yet-"

"I understand that completely, I mean I am sort of in the same boat as you only I hardly remember my mom-" Tohru now remembered, Kurai had it worse than she did, he was abused by Akito, his mother left him at a young age and his dad hated him, he had a worse childhood than she ever did. Now she felt guilty as she looked into those hazel eyes. They were full of sincerity and also joy, how could he smile like that after everything he had suffered?

"I know, I am sorry-" She muttered under her breath. He chuckled at her apology.

"You have to stop apologising seriously, it's silly. It's okay, I am fine and I know while I am with you I will always be fine so it's all good" He said with a cheerful undertone heard in his voice. She nodded as they walked back to the house, her grip on his arm never loosening, holding it tightly to her chest, afraid to let it escape her clutches.

* * *

><p>As they entered the house it was deathly silent, it seemed as if either everyone had gone out or were busying themselves in aimless activities. It was strange how not even Shigure seemed to be around. Kurai did not mind, he liked the fact it was so silent and peaceful and that he could relax knowing that the place was as empty as a ghost town. Tohru looked around, poking her head in Shigure's office and then looking around the living room and then kitchen. Everywhere was devoid of human activity and seemed just too strange.<p>

"This is weird-" She commented as she thought about where they all could have gone to. Yuki could be in a variety of places, the secret base or out shopping, Kyo was always unreliable but Shigure hardly ever ventured out without leaving a note or telling someone.

"Well I am not complaining-" Kurai said, easing his form onto the sofa and enjoying how comfortable it was to lounge on without worry of some-one seeing him. He exhaled slowly as he enjoyed this peaceful atmosphere. Tohru remained stood up, still helplessly searching for the occupants of the house.

"Where is everyone?" She asked herself deciding to check upstairs without the red-head. She was sure that Yuki would be in, he would not leave the house unattended like they had done, would he? As she walked slowly up the stairs she listened out for any signs of another person skulking around. She heard nothing as she neared Yuki's door. She knocked anyway, rattling her knuckles a few times before pausing. She waited and heard nothing. Another pause commenced as she rattled once more. She hoped at least some-one was in; the door was left unlocked so anyone could have walked right in. They all needed to be more security aware it seemed. After a while as she was about to walk off she heard a latch unhook from behind Yuki's door. A smile lit up her face; at least her instincts were right. As the door opened Yuki stood before her, rubbing his eyes. Had he been sleeping?

"Did I wake you Yuki?" Tohru asked, looking at the sleepy looking teenager who weakly shook his head at her comment.

"No, I was just taking a small nap" He said, yawning loudly after his speech.

"Where is everyone?" She asked, confusion heard in her usual musical voice. Yuki blinked curiously for a few moments, allowing the information to process in his brain cells before he shrugged;

"As far as I knew it Shigure and Kagura were downstairs. I heard them talking about Kyo and maybe they went out to find him?" Tohru looked thoughtful, it was true, and Kyo had been hiding ever since his little scrap with Kurai. Maybe he was sulking somewhere to cool off. Tohru nodded to his answer and bowed slightly.

"Okay, sorry for disturbing you"

"Oh its fine, is Kurai with you?" He asked; sounding more concerned than he originally planned. She looked up at the violet-eyed boy and seemed bewildered. Why was he worried about Kurai? Yes, they were on speaking terms but she did not think he would actually associate with him much.

"He is downstairs, why do you ask?" Yuki looked away, obviously there was something playing on his mind.

"Could you ask him to see me for a few minutes? I need to talk with him" Now this shocked Tohru, what could Yuki want to talk to him about? Was it something bad? A range of hypothesis's entered her mind frame as she ardently prayed it was not to ridicule the red-head.

"Oh… y-yes of course… I'll g-get him for you" She replied, stuttering on some of her words. She did that a lot when she was nervous about something, it was the tell-tale sign. Yuki nodded and leaned against the doorframe as he watched her retreat down the stairs to obtain the red-head. Yuki released a sigh, why had Shigure insisted he speak to him about this subject? He was already aware of what expression would scar Kurai's face; it would be either horror or confusion, maybe both. He combed his fingers through his hair, would he also bring up about the fact Ayame was coming over? He mentally digressed, that would be a surprise for him, and he did not want to ruin it.

As he saw Tohru re-appear he saw Kurai behind her, his face already showing signs of bewilderment. Yuki did not even know in his mind how he was to approach this situation. He would curse Shigure for eternity for making him do this. He forced a smile at the red-head.

"Hey, I need to talk to you for a moment. Would you like to come in?" He said politely, moving his body mass to the side of the door to allow Kurai access. The red-head shrugged;

"Sure, whatever" He walked slowly into Yuki's room as Yuki released a small sigh. He hoped that Kurai would at least understand the point he was trying to get across to him. Before he closed the door he gave Tohru a nervous look and she returned it with a weak smile. He closed the door and she waited there for a few moments. What was she to do? She could not eavesdrop on the conversation, it was morally wrong, so with that in mind she made a conscious decision to busy herself with her project. At least that would consume some time.

* * *

><p>In Yuki's room Kurai nervously sat down on the edge of his bed, awaiting this 'speech'. It must have been important due to how Yuki was reacting; He was all on edge and pacing up and down his room. Kurai's eyes could not seem to focus on his form long enough before he moved again. This was a chore.<p>

"I do not want you to leap down my throat when I say this to you-" Yuki warned, before even conversing about the issue. Kurai gave a weak nod, hoping it was not too serious. Yuki continued."-Shigure has asked me to ask you if things are going smoothly between yourself and Ms. Honda" For a moment the red-head believed it was a trick question, what was that meant to mean? Smoothly as in going good? He gave a nod with a smile;

"Yeah, we are great, thanks. Why is Shigure so worried about us? Is it because of me?"

"No, no I do not think it is just because of that-" Yuki added in, still pacing nervously up and down the room. Things were not making sense here in Kurai's mind; it was an odd subject to bring to light. Yuki paused and gave a small sigh before gathering courage to ask;

"-are you thinking of becoming more serious with Ms. Honda?" As Yuki expected Kurai's face was devoid of horror and was filled with confusion. Was he just dense or extremely naïve?

"I don't understand-" He whined a little, tilting his head slightly to the side. Yuki huffed, placing a hand to his forehead, it was bad enough conversing about it, let alone going into details. The thought itself was horrific.

"I meant-" He muttered, clearing his throat abruptly. "- in a physical way?"

"Well we hug and stuff, does that count?" Kurai answered simply. This was harder than Yuki first thought. If only Shigure was here to hear this, everything would be clarified and his worried mind could rest. It was obvious Kurai's mind frame was not set on deflowering the girl.

"Well-" Yuki began again, feeling himself begin to get uneasy. He saw the red-head's hazel eyes burning into him with wanting the answers and Yuki could not be as blunt as he would have liked.

"-do you do anything other than that? Or have you thought about it or talked about it with Ms. Honda?"

"No, I don't think so-" He answered innocently. Yuki inhaled sharply, feeling the need to keep moving right now. He prayed Tohru was not listening to this; he did not want to make her embarrassed.

"Well, that is fine" Yuki confirmed.

"Can I ask why you want to know all this stuff?" Kurai asked, being confused once more. Yuki mentally kicked himself, now he was asking questions; this was going to be bad.

"Shigure wanted to know about it" Kurai nodded and looked away, it was apparent he was still slightly bewildered by this whole issue. Yuki did not explain it very clearly to the half Kitsune and considering he had no idea what he was insinuating he just guessed and nodded and said yes in the right places.

"Yuki, you know when you say other stuff than hugging and kissing-" Kurai started, trying to search his brains for something to compare it to.

"Yes…" Yuki answered, feeling himself begin to perspire. He hoped he would not hear of their antics, he did not want to imagine it going on in the room next door. He was too innocent and naïve to be aware of it, especially right now.

"-Does that mean like… sexual stuff?" He said, looking up at the violet-eyed boy with widened hazel eyes. Yuki gave a weak nod and a small cough. The red-head nodded, now understanding.

"Oh I get it now!" He said happily.

"Why? Have you done… sexual things with Ms. Honda?" Yuki struggled to ask. Kurai shook his head slowly, feeling as if he was being interrogated by his mother. Yuki breathed a sigh of relief, Kurai had him worried for a moment there.

"Well, good-" He commented, now feeling his nerves calm down as his pacing ceased. Kurai raised an eyebrow at the rat, what was he saying? It was good that he and Tohru were not having a physical relationship? Like he even knew what that entailed, he had been locked up for the majority of his life.

"Yuki please stop worrying about that-" Kurai said calmly, looking at the ground. He actually felt embarrassed; he was embarrassed that he had never even kissed a girl until Tohru had come along. She had taken his first kiss along with his heart.

"I know, it is Shigure who worries" Yuki said, managing to sit down beside the red-head, refusing to make eye contact.

"But Yuki keep in mind I have been locked up for the majority of my life. Do you really think that sexual things are going to be on my mind right now?" He gave the rat a serious glance and Yuki weakly nodded.

"I told Shigure that but he doesn't listen" He sighed; even if he told the rambling dog that Kurai was innocent he probably would not rest until he had evidence of some sort.

"It's fine" Kurai said with a smile. At least that was clarified; he had never spoken to Tohru about going to the next level. It was too early for that he assumed.

"Anyway, sorry for taking up your time" Yuki apologised.

"Don't worry about it, its cool" Yuki managed a weak smile. At least the talk went better than he first envisioned.

* * *

><p>Tohru sat nervously on her bed, not being able to concentrate on her project. The mass of papers seemed to congeal right before her eyes so she could not depict any of the words. Her mind was focused on the subject Yuki wanted to speak to Kurai about. Was it serious? Was he in trouble? She shook her head, Yuki would never get angry to some-one she loved, and he would obviously spare her that pain. Her curiosity was bursting at the seams and she fidgeted to prevent her legs from carrying her to outside the room to eavesdrop. When he would return she would find out just what it was that they spoke of. As soon as she thought about that the door creaked open and Kurai stepped inside, giving her a small smile before closing the door.<p>

"Well, what happened?" She asked almost immediately, her large azure eyes gazing up at his face, wanting to know answers. He gently sat down on the bed. How would he be able to confess the subject? It was so out of the blue and he just knew she would go all embarrassed on him. Nevertheless he could not lie to her.

"Yuki told me that Shigure is worried about us" Tohru blinked curiously, she had no idea why he would be concerned over her. She was not in any danger and Kurai would always protect her.

"Why is he worried?" She pursued, keeping her eyes fixed on the half Kitsune.

"Well-" He started, releasing a small sigh "-Shigure thought you and I were taking our relationship to the next level and Yuki wanted me to clarify a few things" For that moment she realised what he meant by 'next level' and her cheeks started to burn. Why did Yuki speak of that? He could have spoken to her directly about that issue if he wished, even if she would be bashful about it.

"W-when you say n-next level… do y-you mean..."

"In a sexual way" He finished her sentence, causing her to emit a small shy squeal. She turned away quickly, hiding her crimson cheeks, hoping he did not notice. Of course he noticed but he remained quiet. He smiled;

"Don't panic, I told Yuki that nothing has happened between us and he is cool with that" Tohru nodded as she looked downwards at the floor. Her mind immediately flooded with thoughts and images, images she had tried so hard to fight off. Even if she was still naïve and inexperienced she knew that deep within one day she would want to give into the temptation that was her curiosity.

. "I-I'm not panicking…" She murmured, tugging at her skirt, pulling it lower over her knees. Kurai watched her every move, how she fidgeted nervously. He knew she would behave like this.

"Well it looks like you are to me" He added in, raising an eyebrow at her. She madly waved her arms around;

"Oh no! Not at all! I was just… shocked I suppose…" She spurted out, accidentally looking into his eyes once more.

She could see the warm hazel colouring that gave his eyes that much needed warmth and that warmth entered her body that instant she looked at him. It was as if he was melting her heart. It started to thunder violently inside her chest as they remained gazing into each other's eyes for longer than they anticipated. Gently he reached out and caressed her arm, slowly giving her Goosebumps along her skin.

"I was shocked too; I did not know what he was talking about at first. I bet he thought I was so dense" He said with an added chuckle, feeling his own cheeks begin to burn like a raging fire. He never usually got so worked up like this but conversing about the subject to Tohru was actually more nerve racking than any other experience so far in his life.

"W-what exactly did y-you… tell Yuki?" She continued, slowly biting into her bottom lip in apprehension. This would clarify a lot of things in her mind. He breathed out, thinking deeply.

"Well, I basically said that you and I have never discussed it and I don't think we are ready for that right now. I also told him that I would not even think of that because I have been locked up so I know no different to be naïve and stuff-" As he trailed off his eyes looked downwards. It was as if he was ashamed to admit that he was naïve, that he had no experience with humans, let alone girls. He had no idea how to make them happy, how to please them or how to ensure that they never shed a tear or felt scared. Right now it had all been down to instinct. As his eyes glazed over the carpet he felt her hand gently stroke at his cheek, tuning his head to face her. She smiled at him and he could not help but smile back. He felt like a prize idiot right now.

"I know… I am inexperienced too..." She mumbled self consciously. "-But, we can always do things at our own pace and a step at a time" He nodded and began to nuzzle into her hand affectionately. She giggled at his actions; he really was acting like his animal right now.

Slowly after some time she removed her hand and fixed her eyes onto his once more, feeling her heart begin to melt under his hot gaze. She watched as no more words were uttered out of their mouths as their lips began to collide, touching softly and tenderly. A sudden rush entered her system almost immediately after the contact, it was as if something had awoken deep within and she felt tingles run throughout her system. It was a strange sensation and she had no idea if it was normal or not. She decided that with this new burst of courage to explore the red-heads mouth softly and so nervously she allowed her tongue to tentatively stoke his bottom lip, wanting entrance to explore and excite. He complied without words and allowed his own tongue to greet hers in a loving embrace. He began to wrap his arms around his lady, feeling her start to become a little more adventurous and courageous. Deep within he was a bag of nerves, most of what he was doing was on instinct and he hoped that it was the right thing. As she slowly ended the kiss, pulling away as if they were in slow motion she pressed her forehead against his and looked into his eyes;

"I want to promise you something-" She murmured trying to inhale enough oxygen to fill her lungs after her intense kissing session.

"What is that?" He asked in a soft voice, also regaining his breathing to a normal routine. She closed her eyes momentarily before confessing;

"-even if we are both inexperienced… I want us… to learn… together" He could not help but give a small smile, that speech was something he had never heard before. For one if they ever did go to the next level he had no idea what to do and it would probably go terribly wrong. That thought was haunting his mind right now.

"As long as you're okay with it then so am I" He whispered to her, reaching to kiss her lips once more. She inhaled sharply as her eyes closed and her lips touched his once more. That heat filled her body again as the mental images flashed across her mind, she could picture this moment perfectly. She tenderly pressed her hands flat against his red-t-shirt, feeling the warmth beneath and the hard ridges that contained a special treasure, his heart. She felt its soothing rhythm against her fingertips as they continued to kiss softly, not wanting to break apart.

His own hands started to explore her waist, slowly hooking around to pull her body closer to his own. He needed to feel close to her, to know she was here with him and that she would not leave. As she felt her whole body press against his own she felt her body temperature rise. Instinctively she allowed her tongue to tease his mouth for entrance. Again he complied only this time a little more vigorously, it seems they were both gaining courage. As she felt his own tongue teasing hers and her body being pressed against the red-head she noticed something odd start occurring deep inside, it was a throbbing feeling and she had no idea what that signalled. _Was it normal?_

She kept her mind focused on his hands, at where he touched. Every touch sent Goosebumps along her spine and she shivered for a moment. He gently caressed her sides along and down her hips as she kept her own hands pressed firmly against his chest. His heartbeat got louder and quicker and it was as if they were both in sync right now, both beating the same quickened rhythm. The next thing she felt was his mouth closing in on her bottom lip, gently pinching it between his teeth, nibbling the tender flesh. Immediately she inhaled sharply, feeling a rush enter her veins. It was indescribable to her and she could not help but softly moan at the feeling. Kurai thought deep within his own mind, was this a good sign? _Was she groaning because it hurt her or something else?_ With that he slowly released her lip and ceased the kiss once more. When he looked into her eyes again the azure colouring sparkled with an intensity he had never witnessed before. It was as if he had woken up a dormant side of her with that simple act. He gently rubbed his nose against hers as he whispered;

"Was it okay? Did I hurt you?"

"N-no you didn't… hurt m-me-" She murmured bashfully, realising how the feeling deep inside her was increasing and she did not know how to stop it or to quell it down right now. She had never felt anything like it before, it was as he was a drug and she needed him, her body needed him.

"I just wanted to make sure" He said softly, giving her a smile.

"It… was... Lovely" She muttered, again looking into his eyes. It was strange how that one little talk from Yuki had awoken these new feelings inside her stomach and she had never considered them before. They kept their embrace, not wanting to let go as they gazed lovingly in each other's eyes.

* * *

><p>Suddenly the door burst open making Kurai leap up in fright. As both he and Tohru shuffled away from each other as he saw a white headed person grinning at him wildly. Shigure was beside said person.<p>

"Aya, you really should have knocked-" Shigure mused, sighing a little. Tohru swallowed hard; at least the feeling was subsiding now. She never expected that to happen.

"Now Shigure I simply had to ensure my little flower was not being taken advantage of by that devious creature over there" Ayame retorted playfully, pointing to Kurai who was still tense. He raised an eyebrow at Ayame and Shigure. Ayame had called Tohru a flower? It also seemed that Ayame and Shigure had some chemistry between them and it took only a matter of time to put two and two together.

"Oh is this Shigure's girlfriend?" He enquired, pointing to the white haired male. Ayame's face dropped as he faced the rambling dog, he was now in fits of giggles. Tohru even uttered a small laugh.

"I am not a woman you red-headed fiend, I am all man! " Ayame declared loudly making Kurai wince. _Just who was this lunatic?_

"Now calm down Aya, we are here to ensure Tohru is ok, we are not here to start ruffling up the guests" Shigure said, placing a hand on his friends shoulder. He nodded quickly. Ayame gazed down at Tohru with wide eyes, smiling happily;

"Now my little precious Tohru has that red-headed fiend been horrible to you? Has he deflowered my little flower?" Tohru shook her head madly, already feeling her cheeks flush up. _Deflowered, the perfect description_.

"Oh no! Kurai would never take advantage of me! He is a sweet and caring person!"

"Mhm yes, we saw how caring he is-" Shigure added in, chuckling. It was apparent both he and Ayame had seen their antics before barging into the room.

Tohru looked downwards, feeling embarrassed. Kurai was still tense, _so this white haired male was related to him too? _Why were the family members all appearing? He mentally kicked himself, this would take longer than expected and he just had a feeling that he would not like Ayame and his pompous behaviour. He already had a phobia of most people and Ayame would most definitely be number one.

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><p><em><strong>(Awwww! I am going to write a lemon later on so the rating will change but keep on reading! Thank you all so much, I love you all)<strong>_


	16. Give Into Me

_**(Hello everyone, once again here is the next installment! I hope you all enjoy it and reviews are most welcome! Any ideas you have please tell me and I might add them in. Enjoy!)**_

Chapter Fifteen: Give into me

The annoying brash voice of Ayame filled Yuki's ears as the concentration drained from his system. He sighed heavily as he put down his pen on his desk. He would never be able to concentrate with him around. He needed to start his own storyboard and script for his project and considering it was due in tomorrow he was extremely pressed for time. Another added chore was the School Council meeting at 3:50pm on Tuesday. Yuki combed his fingers through his hair as he listened to the heated conversation next door.

"Please Ayame don't tell Hatori about this!" It was apparent that it was Tohru's voice, the sweet, musical voice.

"Oh my precious little Tohru I will not breathe a word of this to Ha'ri, even if it pains me to say that" Yuki mentally kicked himself; he wished his brother would leave so he would be able to do his project in peace. _How late was it now, around 9:00pm?_ He would have preferred seeing Kyo than hearing his incessant whining. As he glanced back at his computer screen he decided to see if anyone from the School Council were online. It might help to pass some time while Ayame was here. He scanned through the contacts to only find that Kakeru was online. Typical Kakeru, he was always online later at night, even if he did have school in the morning. As reluctant as Yuki was he decided to start up the conversation and began typing.

"_Hey Kakeru-" _Well that was a start. It only took a matter of seconds for the reply;

"_Oh hello Yunyun! What's up? You never normally talk to me online" _Yuki grimaced; he could just imagine Kakeru's voice when he wrote that, that stupid annoying voice. Nevertheless he continued;

"_Are you still going to the council meeting Tuesday?"_

_ "Yes, I have to, don't I? What is it actually about?" _ Yuki pondered for a few moments. He actually had no idea, maybe it was to merely discuss positive things going on around school and to make changes to what was not so good.

"_I think it is just to see what is working well and what needs changing-"_

_ "Oh is that it? Man, it's boring to just sit around hearing people talk about waffle, I wish I could go home" _Yuki sighed once more, Kakeru was never one for work, and he always loathed too much pressure. Even so, if Yuki actually got him to work he was very skilled and efficient. The truth was that Yuki would have liked to have gone home instead of attending the meeting but due to the fact he was the President he had to show up. That was the downside to his role.

"_Anyway Kakeru, please be there at 3:50pm sharp. I don't want us to be late"_

_ "Yeah, yeah I know. No sweat, I'll be there" _Yuki paused and listened once more, perhaps Ayame was leaving now, well he hoped so. Then he could finally start getting to work on his project ready for the morning. He had not heard another word from the room since his conversation with Kakeru commenced. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"_Thanks, anyway I must go, I have school work to do. See you around"_

_ "No problem, see you later Yuki" _Yuki managed a weak smile as he ended the conversation and merely stared at the blank screen. He thought for a few moments, Kurai was so unlike the way Akito had described him. He had said how wicked and malicious he was and how Tohru would be in grave danger but right now she seemed to be head over heels in love and it was all the red-heads doing. He could not be all that bad and Yuki had begun to accept that. It was just Kyo who resented him but that was due to another matter entirely. It was because Kurai had took Tohru away from him and stolen her heart in the process. It was only natural that she would eventually fall in love; it was just unexpected that it was the outsider of the family. As people say, you can't help who you love, even if it was deemed as bad.

Yuki now started to think about his project, it was more important right now. He picked up his pen and started to idly sketch down ideas, the lamp at his side giving him the only light that aided him to perceive his own creations. He had the feeling he would be working most of the night and had accepted that fact sub-consciously.

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><p>Shigure took Ayame to the door, trying to calm him down to a reasonable level so he could converse with him like a proper adult. It seemed Kurai had bought out the child in him; maybe it was down to the fact Ayame had never seen the outsider before and finally had a chance to see for himself the creature that had caused so much chaos and disorder at the main house.<p>

"Now promise me Aya you will not tell Hatori about this"

"I swear I won't tell Ha'ri. Can I ask why it is so important not to tell him?" Ayame said, calming down significantly. Shigure sighed, resting his hand against the door frame. He was sure Ayame knew about the torment Kurai went through during his life. Now he had settled down and was happy with Tohru it seemed almost devilish to take him away from it all, to break her heart.

"Akito wants him back and will take him back by force. If you told Hatori he would most likely tell Akito and then Kurai would be taken away from Tohru. It is obvious she is infatuated with him so let's at least allow her to be happy" Ayame weakly nodded, he knew better than to confess this deep dark secret to even Hatori. It was better that he did not know, just to be on the safe side.

"Okay then, I will keep my mouth firmly zipped" He muttered, making a zipping action across his lips. Shigure smiled;

"Good, that will make Tohru happy to know that. I'll have to admit I was not keen on the idea that she got involved with him at first but… when I see those two together it just feels…right"

"I totally agree with you there" Ayame stated, glancing up at the direction of the room they inhabited together. It was odd how one meeting had altered everything; even Shigure had mellowed to the idea. Maybe it was due to the fact Kurai was the complete opposite to what Akito had foretold him to be like. He also made Tohru happy beyond words so that was the indication he was not wicked.

"I think I criticized too much before, I did not even know the boy and yet I said such horrible things about him. Tohru never believed any of it though-"

"Oh well she is a young lady, she has her own mind and will do as she pleases" Ayame added in, watching Shigure's serious expression. It was all sinking in now, the realisation that Tohru defied their actions because something told her to, the instinct deep inside. It lead her to finding Kurai, giving him the love and devotion he needed and perhaps that was why he expressed nothing but purity and innocence.

"I suppose you're right" Shigure murmured, placing a hand to his chin as he thought some more.

"Anyway, I better get going it is getting awfully dark. I will see you some time Shigure" They nodded to each other and gave a small wave as Shigure slowly closed the door. Once the door was closed he paused, why had he not seen Kyo? _Was he sulking again?_ When both he and Kagura went to search for the elusive kitty their search was in vain. It was extremely strange; it was as if he was avoiding everyone. Not even Kyo had done anything this extreme before, perhaps he hated Kurai a lot more than anyone expected.

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><p>It was getting late now and Kurai sat nervously on Tohru's bed. Seeing Ayame and Shigure after so long really bought all the memories rushing back to him. They had seen him many years ago when he was nothing but a mere frightened child, begging for their mercy. They refused; they turned their backs to him and allowed Akito to continue in his abusive manners and it left scars into his soul, scars that would never be erased. With Tohru's aid the scars were slowly fading but they would never be fully deleted, there would always be traces of uncertainty within his heart. Tohru looked at his countenance which was a mixture of confusion and apprehension.<p>

"Kurai, are you okay?" He quickly turned to face her, seeing how worried she was. He nodded;

"Yes I am fine, I was just remembering the last time I saw both Shigure and Ayame" She instinctively held his arm and looked deep into his warm hazel eyes.

"Please stop thinking of the past, you don't have to think of it anymore" She smiled as she gently rubbed his arm. He watched her graceful movements and nodded to her comment. It was true, now he had a future to look forward to. He had Tohru and he knew she would stick with him through anything. He began to smile;

"Yes I know, I have you to thank for that" He watched as she started to blush once more. He could not help but chuckle; it was really charming when her cheeks flushed up that beautiful crimson shade. It proved to him that she was more human than anyone he ever knew.

"Oh… w-well I don't… t-think you should be t-thanking me…" She said, stuttering on some of her words. Kurai kept his smile as he outstretched his hand and stroked her cheek tenderly.

"I should thank you for making this so perfect"

"For m-making what p-perfect?" She answered quickly, feeling the heat rise to her face more so than ever right now. His eyes pierced through into her soul every time they looked at her. She was so sure she could see an undertone of seductiveness in that gaze; in the way he looked at her.

"My first experience in love, it is so perfect. I never even believed in love when I was growing up-" He started, reminiscing about his childhood "-I thought that some-one as damned as me would never be able to be happy with a normal person. It is amazing that I have managed to actually find happiness and feel the best human emotion of all. I never thought I would ever be able to love anyone but I feel it now and… I like it" He finished with a smile.

He could see how incredibly embarrassed this had made her and she shyly looked away. Whenever he shared these precious moments with her his heart always felt as it was melting, that she had ultimate control over its actions and even though he felt powerless to some degree he enjoyed knowing that she could have this effect on him whenever she pleased.

"Oh Kurai you're making me embarrassed!" She squealed out happily, placing her hands over her face immediately. Suddenly she felt his hands gently caressing her own and pulling them away from her face. Her eyes could clearly see every detail on his face as it was only a few inches from her own. Her heart started up its heavy beating deep inside, almost shaking every muscle in her body.

"Please don't hide your face, your face is too beautiful to hide" He said softly, looking deep into her widened azure eyes. Her face felt as if it was on fire due to her blush that did not seem to fade from her cheeks. He called her beautiful, no-one had ever called her that and she was taken aback by the comment. He kept a hold of her hands as they rested in her lap.

"You… t-think… I am… b-beautiful?" She uttered weakly, trying to come to terms with it. He nodded, still refusing to break eye contact with her. She was sure she felt that throbbing sensation occur once more in the pit of her stomach and she shifted uncomfortably in her sitting position. _Was this normal?_

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><p>She began to slowly bite into her bottom lip, feeling it quiver slightly. How had he got her going like this? His hands gently began to stroke hers slowly as his eyes kept their soft gaze on her. Their faces were only a few inches apart, so close that she could almost feel his breath on her face. She swallowed hard as she closed her eyes, trying to get her breathing back to its usual serene routine. He was so close and she felt an urge to kiss him again. It was as if he was a drug and every time they shared moments as heated as this these odd feelings would awaken and she was slightly apprehensive of them. They gave her a new burst of courage and new thoughts and feelings that she did not even think was possible for her to feel.<p>

"I love you-" She whispered, eyes still closed, feeling herself begin to get extremely nervous once more.

"I love you too-" He whispered back, his face closer to hers than before.

She inhaled quickly, noticing this sudden closure of space between them. She also detected the hint of seductiveness in his voice, it made her somewhat edgy yet slightly excited at the same time. Her heart was giving her signals to go further yet in her mind she was scared, she was scared that if she did it would be totally out of character and that she would perhaps frighten him off. Kurai, after all, had been locked up for the majority of his life; he was not accustomed to human feelings of that degree just yet. While this battle of thoughts was raging within her brain cells she opened her eyes to see him merely looking at her, still holding her hands tightly and gently pressing circles onto her soft skin with his thumbs. It was such a simple gesture yet it meant so much more.

"Tohru why are you embarrassed all of a sudden?" He asked, his voice returning to its usual tone. She looked into his eyes for a few moments before answering;

"I just feel weird, I can't describe it. When you talk to me in a certain way or look at me in a certain way I feel this feeling inside my stomach and it makes me think of things I usually would not think about and I guess I am worried about it" She looked away, feeling as if she had offended the red-head. He merely chuckled;

"You really are silly. I get that too but I think it is okay and we are meant to feel that. What does it make you think of?" She gently squeezed his hand a little as she thought about what she would confess to him. The thoughts only lasted for a few seconds but they were still enough to make her perspire uncontrollably and to make her heart thunder inside he ribcage. She started;

"I-I think of…t-things… like I a-always want to… k-kiss you and…. h-hold you… and…" She stopped, drooping her head lower than usual. Kurai seemed a little apprehensive of her behaviour, _were the thoughts so horrifying?_

"-and other things right?" He finished making her jolt upright immediately. How did he know? She looked at his face; he was smiling even if it was shyly. She weakly nodded, feeling unclean at her own mind right now. He squeezed her hand a little;

"Hey, I would be a liar if I said that I did not think of that either" He said, giving her a playful look which made her start to smile. At least he was honest and she was not on her own here. That feeling that inhabited her stomach was still bubbling underneath; just waiting to be unleashed and she knew it. Why were these things happening to her, was it due to the fact she was growing up?

"-but don't worry about it or get embarrassed. It is only natural to think of that" Kurai interrupted her thoughts. She gave him a small nod, hoping his was right about that, she did not want to think it was due to her mind going into pervert mode.

Slowly he pulled one of her hands up to his lips and gently kissed it, sending a brief shiver down her spine. It was so unexpected, it caught her unawares but she liked it. The control was slowly escaping her body as she found herself shuffling closer to the red-head, longing for more, wanting to hold him, to kiss him and to always know he would be here with her. She allowed her hand to escape his grasp and she wrapped both her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest, inhaling in his scent. He smiled as he held Tohru against him; she was so precious and so innocent to him. Every little thing she commenced in made his heart do somersaults and it started up the butterflies inside.

"So if I think of doing other things instead of kissing or cuddling it is okay?" She said calmly, actually shocking herself to how calm she sounded. He nodded as he combed his fingers through her hair.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I am not going to run off in horror if that is what you're worried about" She smiled into his top as she snuggled in closer, feeling how warm he was against her cheeks. She loved it; she loved how he was always a perfect temperature.

"I'm glad-" She mumbled, releasing a dreamy sigh from her lips as she enjoyed holding the red-head close.

"Me too-"

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><p>They had been embracing and talking for so long that both of them knew it was getting late. They both had school in the morning and so it would be beneficial to get some sleep. It would be chore to wake up in the morning if they had a late night.<p>

"We should get some sleep, we have to be up early in the morning-" Tohru said sadly, slowly pulling away from him. He weakly nodded, also longing to spend more time with her. It took some time before she managed to get up off the bed and walk over to her chair and retrieve her nightgown that she wore for her antics in dreamland. Kurai watched her, how graceful and angelic she was in her antics. It captivated him entirely. As usual he turned around as she changed into her nightgown, it was the usual routine and he felt it only suitable to allow it. A small thought crept into his mind as he knew she was undressing behind him, that if he looked over his shoulder he would actually see her body, he would see everything but he refused. He was not like that, he would wait and if he had to wait forever he would because she was definitely worth it.

"Okay I'm finished" She announced as she walked back over to the bed and settled down beside him. She smiled at him and he smiled back;

"So I can see" He added in playfully.

Tohru started up her mental fight as she knew it would only be a matter of time before Kurai got undressed for bed and she did not know if tonight she could cope with it. The feeling inside her stomach had not ceased like it did previously and she just had the distinct feeling she would not be able to fight it for much longer. She watched as he did not stand up, he just started to take off his black jacket and placed it on the chair that was nearby. She swallowed hard, knowing that the images that flashed across her mind would start to become real if she actually continued to stare at him. It was wrong, she knew it but for some unknown reason she could not turn her gaze away. Kurai noticed of course but he did not seem to mind, after all, he had put it down to it being natural. As he took off his red t-shirt she felt her cheeks start to burn and she covered her face with her hands once more, uttering small choked whines from her throat_. What was with this feeling?_ It was making her act so unlike how she would normally behave. The she felt his hands touch her hands once more and pull them away from her face just like previously.

"You don't have to hide, you can look if you want to, I don't mind-" He said softly, looking deeply into her azure eyes. They sparkled in the dimming light as she allowed them to sketch every detail of his body into her brain cells. It had only been now where she had really noticed everything. She noticed that there were scars across his chest and along his neckline and around his stomach, scars from the abuse Akito bestowed on him. How did she not notice before?

She outstretched her hand to trace to deepest scar, on the left side of his body, lining his ribs. It looked so painful and Tohru could not help but caress it gently. Sadness started to well up inside of her, he was so perfect yet these scars attempted to ruin his perfection, to make him an ugly beast. She did not think they were ugly, Kurai was still Kurai, with scars or not.

"They are horrible right?" He commented; looking down as the moonlight from the window illuminated the scars. Each and every one was a twisted and tormented memory of his childhood coming to life once more. She shook her head, now gently stroking the other scars that marked his body.

"No they are not horrible… they are beautiful" She said softly, feeling how soft his skin was underneath her fingertips. He was warmer than he was earlier, still a pleasant heat but warmer nonetheless. He could not help but smile; no-one had ever said that about his scars. Even though in the darkness she had never seen them before he was almost positive she would never say that about them. He thought she would get distressed or even cry but not seem so at ease with the ominous carvings. She paused, keeping her hand centered on where his heart was contained. She could feel the pleasant motion that it created around the surrounding skin, she could feel its beautiful rhythm and she was almost sure her own was beating in the same manner.

"I can feel your heartbeat-" She said, almost in a whisper. He placed his own hand on top of hers;

"I know yours is beating the same way-" He murmured quietly, squeezing her hand slightly. She looked into his eyes, just managing to see that mesmerising hazel colouring that she adored. She gave a small nod as that feeling increased once more, her stomach muscles tightened considerably and she felt a tingling sensation further downwards. It was as if it was longing for something but she was unsure of what it desired.

Slowly she pulled her hand away from his chest as he began to take off his black pants. Tohru closed her eyes this time, she knew that if she watched his action then the feeling would most likely consume her sanity and she would act on instinct. That could easily lead down to the road of ruin so she earnestly tried to ignore it.

"It is funny how you look away when I change, how are you going to behave when we have to share the bed?" He remarked, finally removing his pants and putting them on the chair with his other clothes.

"I-I… I'm sorry-" She apologized, still keeping her eyes closed.

"You can open your eyes now" She complied and slowly opened them once more, seeing Kurai giving her an odd look. One of his eyebrows was raised. It was as if he did not understand why she was behaving like this.

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><p>They both shuffled up and got inside the covers of the bed. At least now she might actually be able to calm down her demonic inner self now and sleep would help her with that task. As she snuggled against the pillow, turning her back to the red-head she sighed. If only she could actually give into her wants right now, what would happen? <em>Would it lead to something bad or something good?<em> This thought raged in her mind and she had a feeling she would not be able to sleep for some time. While she was still wide awake she felt Kurai's arms wrap around her waist and he pulled her against him so she was curled up in his lap.

"This is okay right?" He asked ensuring she was fine with it. She nodded, feeling her cheeks go warm once more.

"Y-yes... it is f-fine…" She looked down and saw him holding her tightly, his head nuzzled into her hair, inhaling in the scent. It was of strawberries and extremely appealing to him. As she shifted slightly in his lap she tensed up a little. The small of her back had brushed against something that she was not familiar to and it commenced in the tingling sensation to cause havoc deep within. She tensed up immediately due to this and closed her eyes tightly, just what was wrong with her?

"Tohru, are you okay?" Kurai asked, obviously concerned. He looked at her and she smiled, nodding her head.

"Yes, I am okay… just tired"

"Do you feel uncomfortable with being in this position?" He asked again, now removing his arms from her and sitting up to look at her. She turned over to face him, seeing he had now sat up and his eyes portrayed confusion. She nodded;

"I am fine, just… slightly worked up I guess…" He smiled and gently poked her nose.

"Stop getting shy around me, it's fine. I've told you a hundred times that no matter what I am not going to freak out"

She nodded as he settled down once more, facing each other. She shuffled over and rested her head on his chest, she loved being with him like this, hearing his heartbeat sending her to sleep. It was the best part of going to sleep, knowing he was here with her. It did not matter that the feeling did not subside, slumber took over instead and soon enough she was fast asleep on the red-heads chest. He looked down at her and smiled. Tomorrow would be a hectic day, finally being able to go to school. He had no idea what it would be like but he knew that Tohru would be with him so he would be fine. He had no idea that tomorrow would be a day he would never forget…

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><p><em><strong>(Awwww, I will do a lemon but not yet, I know the perfect time. Review please and thank you to everyone who loves this as much as me!)<strong>_


	17. Just A Normal Day?

_**(Howdy! Welcome to another chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviews, I love you all seriously, you make my day when I see I get another review for this. I have added three of my friends in this chapter, two people who review, Otaco and Evil Neko and my friend and little sister Kayleigh! Enjoy and review!)**_

Chapter Sixteen: Just A Normal Day?

_The room was dark, too dark for her liking yet she could sense a presence nearby. She could almost feel another heartbeat echo in the emptiness. She glanced across aimlessly only to perceive nothing but the veil of darkness, not one glimmer of light entered the abyss and she wondered to herself, was she dreaming again? She found herself walking in a direction she was unsure of, it was purely instinct that lead her this way. As she walked slowly ahead she could hear muffled whispers invading her mind, telling her words that she did not wish to hear. Words of abuse towards Kurai, words of hate, words of envy and jealously and they were all spoken by some-one she knew well. The voice was definitely that of Kyo's and it rung inside her head as she kept walking. She was not going to stop as she heard the abuse;_

"_He doesn't love you, he is using you. He is a Kitsune and you have fallen into his trap. You're such a stupid, naïve girl" _

_She swallowed hard as those words repeated deep inside her head, sketching them deep within the grey matter of the brain. She did not want to listen but she could not stop the voice. It was as if it was her subconscious telling her the truth but this truth was most definitely twisted to alter her opinions. It would not succeed, after all, the heart will always lead you to your destiny._

_As she walked she noticed the darkness begin to fade and soon enough she was walking in a lush meadow. There was one large tree that she could see directly ahead of her with children running around, blissfully unaware of her intrusion. The sky was of the purest blue and it was so quiet and peaceful it actually felt as if she was in heaven and not in a dream. She walked through the long blades of grass that gently brushed against her ankles and walked closer to the tree. Something was calling out to her, a strong force was summoning her. Her azure eyes watched the children run past her, all their faces blurred so she could not recognise any of them. She stopped when she saw a dark figure sitting by the tree, she recognised it to a certain extent. It was the hair that was the giveaway, it's wild and spiked form and then when she got nearer she recognised those narrow hazel eyes and that dazzling smile. It was Kurai._

"_Kurai what are you doing here? Why are you in my dream?" She asked, keeping her eyes focused on his form._

"_I can join you in your dreams whenever I please, it is part of my curse-" He answered in the exact same voice she was accustomed to. It was odd that he was here with her and it felt as if it were a reality right now. She sat down beside him, feeling the gentle breeze against her cheeks. This was far too real to be just a dream_

"_Kurai, is this my dream?" She asked, looking around at how beautiful it was. He weakly nodded;_

"_Yes Tohru, I managed to enter it and pull you out of the nightmare you were going into. Kyo haunts your dreams for some reason and if it is not him then it is Akito. I knew this when you told me about the nightmare before" She nodded, at least this dream was more pleasant than the one she had the previous night._

"_Thank you" She whispered, resting her head against his arm. Why did this feel so real? It was as if he was really there beside her, talking to her._

"_The dreams also allow you to see the true form I have-" He added in, looking at her through sorrowful eyes. True form? Tohru hoped it was not in the same way as Kyo, Kurai was too perfect to be cursed to that extent._

"_True form?" She questioned, noticing that the children had disappeared by now and only they remained here. Most likely Kurai's doing._

"_It is nothing to be scared of, it is just the fox spirit that lives inside me. Because I am so young my spirit only has one tail but my mother had nine. I hope that one day you will meet her" Tohru listened, she wondered what his mother would look like, if she would even enter her dream world. Then she thought to his fox spirit that lived inside of him, it was a real living thing and it was inhabiting his body. It seemed odd to come to terms with._

"_Will it hurt you if you show me?" She asked, watching as the area almost seemed to start disappearing around them. Was she waking up? No, it was too soon, she needed to know more._

"_I am sorry, time is too short for this now, I will show you another time but for now you must awaken"_

"_But Kurai, please show me!" She called out watching the area disappear around her. Her slumber was subsiding and her dream world was dissipating into nothingness and so was Kurai's image. His true form? She longed to know what the answers were, to know what it looked like and if it was dangerous. It was too late now, she was waking up._

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><p>Her azure eyes opened slowly as realisation started to sink into her bones. What was with that dream? It felt so real to her, as if she was actually in that lush meadow with him and he was telling her about his true form. She sat up and rubbed her temples, trying to wake up properly. They had school today and she had woken up on time. It was 7am and she would have to start breakfast soon. She glanced across at Kurai, he was still asleep, curled up in a foetus position and breathing heavily as slumber still resided within his frame. She could not help but smile, he looked so innocent, so normal, no-one would have ever believed he would be cursed to witness him sleeping like this. He looked so human, more human than others. It seemed cruel to awaken him but Tohru knew she had to, she had to get dressed for school and to prepare breakfast;<p>

"Kurai, time to wake up-" She said quietly, nudging him slighting with her hand. He groaned a little before shuffling uncomfortably in the bed. After some time he opened his eyes to hers and yawned loudly. Obviously he was not a morning person. She smiled as she watched him sit up and rub his eyes in a sleepy daze.

"….good… morning-" He mumbled, trying to accept the fact he was awake. She nodded at him;

"I have to prepare breakfast, is there anything specific you would like?" He looked at her, confusion scarring his features. He obviously did not understand and merely shrugged;

"Anything is fine" She smiled and eased herself out of the bed. She needed to get her school uniform and with that she walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out her uniform. Luckily for Kurai he did not have to wear it as he would be a visitor. It was odd that she was taking him to the school today, she wondered how everyone would react.

"I am going to the bathroom to get a shower and get dressed, see you downstairs" She said to the red-head who merely nodded sleepily. He watched through lazy eyes as the figure of Tohru escaped the room and closed the door behind her.

It took some time before he could muster the energy to lift his bones out of the bed and start to dress himself ready for the day ahead. He was not used to not being nocturnal, it was an odd change but he needed to try to get accustomed to it, after all, he was dating a human being. He sighed as he pulled his red t-shirt over his mass of spiked hair and smoothed down the creases. Maybe he needed new clothes? He had no money, and he knew that Tohru hated him stealing things. He looked thoughtful as he contemplated some ideas, maybe he could converse with her about it later. With much effort he managed to pull on his black pants, adjusting the criss-crossed belts in the proper fashion and then finally he put on his black jacket and black trainers.

"Well I am done-" He said to himself with a smile as he checked out his appearance in the mirror. He combed his fingers through his hair, spiking it out in the way he wanted and then smiled. He wanted to make a good impression at this 'school' as he had no idea what it entailed or how people would accept him. He turned his gaze to the window, seeing how sunny it was outside. It looked like another beautiful day and he could not help but smile. He loved warm weather, it always gave a day that much needed comfort and energy. If it was raining everyone felt depressed and dismal and he hated that. After looking once more at his reflection he decided it would be beneficial to head downstairs for breakfast.

Once he entered the kitchen he perceived Tohru already dressed in her uniform, cooking breakfast happily. He also saw Yuki sitting at the table with Kyo sitting opposite. Since when had Kyo returned? Kurai coughed uneasily to get Yuk's attention, he gave a weak smile;

"Good morning, sleep well?" Kurai watched as Kyo gave Yuki an evil stare.

"Yes, thank you" He replied, settling his figure beside the rat. He kept an ever watchful gaze on the orange haired boy. It was apparent that he hated the fox to a degree that was classed as unhealthy. Kurai did not seem to mind, he did not care about if Kyo hated him. Jealously was very unbecoming in his eyes.

"Ah Kurai you're here-" Tohru beamed happily, turning around and giving him a smile. He nodded;

"Yeah, are my clothes okay? I mean… because we are going to school and all?" She nodded in response and giggled shyly;

"You look lovely, don't worry" Yuki gave a smile and Kurai for once actually felt content. He was able to eat comfortably at the table with everyone for a change without Tohru having to sneak food up to him. It really made a difference to his whole outlook.

"Kyo you're awfully quiet this morning" A husky voice was heard. Both Yuki and Kurai turned to the voice and saw it was Shigure, holding a newspaper. He sat down beside the hot-headed cat and gave him a concerned look.

"It's none of your business-" He mumbled, looking away from the dog and resting his elbows on the table.

"He is just sulking-" Yuki added in, receiving another evil stare from the orange top.

"WHAT HAS IT GOT TO DO WITH YOU? YOU DAMNED RAT!" He screamed out angrily, smashing his hands down on the table, causing Shigure to wince and whimper behind his newspaper. Yuki sighed, placing a hand to his head;

"It's always the same with you isn't it? You never change, you always act like this when you can't get what you want. You need to grow up a little you stupid cat-" Yuki remarked calmly. Kurai watched, feeling himself get angry for an unknown reason, perhaps it was due to Kyo. Kyo just seemed to press all the wrong buttons with him and he could not help but feel infuriated around him.

"Go to hell-" Kyo returned weakly, looking away from the fox and the rat and looking at the angelic figure of Tohru, cooking happily. Had he not got over the fact she did not love him? It was slowly testing everyone's patience.

"Now, now children please settle down" Shigure started, hoping to be the peacekeeper. He knew that would be a vexing task as Kyo was never one to listen to him. He saw his defiance in his body language and sighed, returning to reading the newspaper.

"Is he always like this?" Kurai asked, pointing to the sulking cat. Yuki weakly nodded;

"Most of the time yes, he always blames others for his own stupidity-" Kurai looked at him through narrowed eyes, it was obvious that Kyo had issues regarding him and if he wanted to sort them out he would gladly oblige.

"I think it is me he hates" The red-head said, looking up at the ceiling.

"Don't take it too personal, he says he hates me too and-"

"YES I DO HATE THAT RED-HEADED FREAK!" Kyo interrupted Yuki, giving Kurai an evil glare. Kurai merely shrugged it off, smirking slightly. He did not give much thought about Kyo's problem with him, after all, it was not as if he played a major role in his life.

"The feeling is definitely mutual moggy-" Kurai retorted, smiling slightly.

"There is so much animosity at this table-" Shigure said with a long sigh, placing the newspaper down on the table. It was true, the atmosphere was anything but serene. You could cut through it with a kitchen knife easily. Luckily for Tohru she was ignoring the banter at the table and was blissfully preoccupying herself in her chores. It was better than to listen to the arguments and childish banter that commenced.

After some time Tohru appeared at the table with breakfast, giving each and every one of them their own plate. Soon she settled her own figure down beside the red-head, gave him a smile and then commenced in eating. The food itself was of the greatest quality, as per usual. Tohru's culinary skills seemed to be getting better with time.

"Oh Tohru, this is divine!" Shigure commented happily, making her blush a little.

"Oh are you s-sure?" She answered, looking shyly downwards.

"Yes, it is delicious Ms. Honda" Yuki added in giving her a warm smile. Tohru giggled bashfully as she was unaware of the stern glances Kyo was giving her.

"I was missing some of the ingredients so I thought it might not be as good"

"It is perfect as usual" Kurai said softly, giving her a playful look to which she smiled. At least now the arguing had ceased and Kyo was now behaving a little more appropriately at the table. The food was quickly devoured and soon enough Tohru started picking up the plates to be washed up.

"How about I do the washing up for you?" Shigure asked, taking the plates from her as he stood up. She seemed completely dumbfounded as he gave her a smile;

"Oh not it is fine! I'll do the washing up!"

"It was not an offer, it was an order. I will do the washing up okay? After all, you need to go to school earlier than usual right?" Shigure said, walking over to the sink with the mass of dirty plates.

She weakly nodded, feeling slightly guilty for allowing Shigure to wash up for her, it was her job. Yuki got up out of his seat also, next followed by Kurai and then lastly Kyo. They all grabbed their school bags and waved goodbye to Shigure and left on their tedious journey to the school. All the time Kurai was deeply thinking about things, what if school was something really bad? What if everyone hated him and also what if the tutor refused for him to aid Tohru in her project? He shook that thought out of his mind as he joined his hand with hers and they walked towards the school.

* * *

><p>His hazel eyes depicted the gates that he remembered when he first met Tohru, when he had pretended to be hurt. He remembered it well but he had never been inside the school premises, would this really be okay? He gripped Tohru's hand tighter as they walked onwards towards the main doors. Yuki watched as Kyo walked off into the yard, not even bothering to say goodbye to any of them.<p>

"That stupid cat… he will never learn" He commented, sighing after his statement. Kurai nodded, also allowing his eyes to follow the fading image of the orange haired boy. Did he hate Kurai that much? Tohru felt guilty, she felt guilty because she believed it was all her doing that Kyo was behaving so appallingly. It was not only due to her, it was mainly due to Kurai and he was jealous of the red-head.

"Do you think the tutor will allow Kurai to help me in my project?" Tohru asked Yuki as they walked. "I can't see there being a problem" He answered.

"Could you also help me? I need some-one to play the part of Akito-" Yuki raised an eyebrow at her but weakly smiled. The thought of acting like Akito was slightly sickening to him but nevertheless he would always aid in her troubles.

"Okay Ms. Honda" He saw how happy both Tohru and Kurai were at his agreement, at least the cast was sorted now all that was left was to persuade the tutor that Kurai would help her. She swallowed hard as they walked up the steps to the main entrance and slowly walked inside.

As they entered Kurai looked around aimlessly. He had never been in a school before and the layout was extremely grand to him, if it wasn't for Tohru and Yuki knowing where they were headed he would have definitely gotten lost. It was far too large with many different rooms and within a matter of minutes he would have gone astray.

"Where are we headed?" He asked nervously, still holding her hand.

"We are going to our classroom, the tutor should be there by now" Tohru answered, giving him a warm smile to try to calm him down. It was not the fact he was scared of school it was just he was slightly apprehensive of the reception he would receive. He was not used to being in crowds, crowds made him edgy and he never was a people person.

"Just avoid the fan club girls" Yuki added in, laughing a anxious laugh. He had become too aware of their antics.

"Fan club?" The red-head questioned. Yuki nodded;

"Yes, there are some girls who have made a fan-club dedicated to me, they are awfully scary" Tohru giggled, it was true, they all had issues and serious ones at that. It was as if they were on the borderline between in love and obsession and it was obvious that Yuki hated all the attention.

"Rather you than me" Kurai added in with a small chuckle. The idea of having a bunch of babbling teenagers swooning after him made him want to vomit. He was not extremely comfortable around humans and with girls especially. They just seemed like another species entirely, luckily for him Tohru was one of a kind. As they walked they eventually found the classroom and Tohru hesitantly knocked. She waited for a signal but she heard nothing. Again she knocked and this time she heard the tutor's voice;

"Come in?" Uneasily she pushed the door to and they all entered. The tutor sat at her desk, reading through a mass of work papers from other students, all concerning their individual projects. She raised her eyes to Tohru and gave her a smile;

"Hello Tohru, what can I do for you? You're awfully early today"

"Oh yes Miss, I just came to ask a favour" She bowed her head as the tutor looked across at Yuki and then to Kurai, the one who she had never seen before. She gave him a confused look and then responded;

"Yes, go ahead"

"Well for my project I needed some-one outside of school and I was wondering if it would be okay for him to join us in class for just this week" The tutor pursed her lips together and spun a little in her chair, glaring at the red-headed male. He remained mute alongside Yuki, bowing his head in the same manner as Tohru.

"Well this is a predicament isn't it?" She said, her voice not full of the confidence Tohru hoped for.

"Please Miss, he won't be any trouble, he is here to help me with the project that is all" Tohru pleaded, almost begging in a sense. Yuki watched on, hoping that the tutor would allow it for just this once, after all, if she did not then Tohru would have to do a lot more work outside of school hours. After some thought the tutor seemed to come to a conclusion.

"Okay, he can be a visitor but he must wear the badge at all times and I will get a form from the Principal that he must sign to ensure he is insured for these days" Tohru lifted her head up and smiled happily. She was overjoyed at the fact he could actually help her and be in the same class as her. She bowed once more;

"Thank you so much!" The tutor smiled;

"Okay, now go to the Principal and tell him I have gave it the go ahead and he will issue you with the badge and the form" All of them nodded, Tohru slightly quicker than the others. Deep within she was ecstatic, it was such a fortunate turn of events that he was actually allowed to help her. As they all said their goodbyes all three of them left the room and made their way to the Principal's office.

* * *

><p>The bell rang signalling first lesson to commence and Kurai, Yuki and Tohru started to make their way back to class. The Principal was oddly very keen on the idea of having an outsider play a role in her project, it was probably due to the fact that Kurai had a lot in common with the Principal. It was odd how talkative the red-head was around him and how they laughed with each other like they had known each other for years. Kurai now had the visitor badge on his jacket and had signed the official papers for him to be insured for the days he would be assisting her.<p>

"Well that went better than planned" Yuki mused with a smile. Tohru nodded happily now watching as students began to swarm the corridors, rushing to their lessons.

"Yes, I am so happy that he gets to help me" She gave the red-head a joyful look and he merely smiled;

"Me too, your Principal is a really nice guy"

"The Principal hardly ever gets along with anyone, think of yourself as lucky" Yuki added in coyly, keeping an ever watchful eye on the swarm of girls rushing about the corridors. He did not want any of them to bump into him and for him to transform in the middle of school. Tohru also watched, she saw three girls from her class just ahead of them, they were idly gossiping amongst themselves and had not noticed Kurai just yet.

"Just be careful with the girls around here-" Yuki whispered to the red-head who seemed to show signs of confusion.

"Why?"

"They can be slightly… what's the word?… Overpowering" Tohru giggled, it seemed as if every girl in the school was a bag of hormones right now considering the majority of them adored Yuki and some even liked Kyo. It seemed the Sohma's were a big hit with fans at this school. Kurai nodded nonetheless, mentally making a note to be careful around the people who inhabited the school's walls. It was obvious that they were not as nice as he thought.

After some time they found their way to their classroom and started to walk inside. As Yuki walked inside Kurai was forcefully stopped by the tutor, holding out her hand to stop him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked the slim woman and she shook her head;

"No there is nothing wrong, I just believe it is only fair to introduce you in a formal manner to the class. It is only polite that everyone knows who you are, what is your name?" Kurai mentally kicked himself, now everyone would know him and everyone would make comments and judgments. He complied anyway;

"Kurai Sohma"

"Ah, a relative of Yuki Sohma?" She questioned, her face portraying a hint of shock. He weakly nodded;

"Yes, he is a distant relative"

"Well it does not matter-" She turned to the window to see everyone in class had sat down and now believed it was the time for introductions. "- the class has settled, time for the introductions" Kurai sighed, knowing that this would not go the way he would have liked.

* * *

><p>As he slowly walked into the classroom, the tutor leading the way up the front, he noticed the stares he received off people, either confusion or shock but not those of hatred. He stood uneasily at the front, shuffling uncomfortably on the spot as his eyes drifted across to Yuki and then to Tohru. She gave him a smile to offer some comfort but all he felt was apprehension. He could see all their eyes glaring into him and he was starting to get extremely tense.<p>

"Class, I would like to introduce you to Kurai Sohma, he is here to assist Tohru Honda with her individual project so please make him feel welcome and do not give him a hard time-" He weakly nodded and raised a tentative hand to wave to the crowd. At the back of the classroom three girls were gossiping, all hushed whispers of the newcomer.

"Finally! Some eye candy in here! One of them said, possessing dark straight hair that reached the small of her back. She kept glancing at the red-head as he made his way over to the spare seat beside Tohru.

"I agree! I'll make him feel more than just welcomed-" Another said playfully, giving her friend a wink. She possessed black and red hair that flowed in waves down her back.

"Kuma you're so perverted-" Another girl muttered under her breath. The girl known as Kuma huffed and folded her arms;

"Shanley don't be so stiff, you have to admit he is good looking-" The girl known as Shanley gave a small shrug of the shoulders and continued to read her book. She had blonde hair that curled around her face with brilliant blue eyes. The other girls had brown eyes, similar to Kurai's.

"At least Miru agrees with me on this one" Kuma added in, nudging her friend giggling. They all watched Kurai as he started to talk to Tohru, watching at how she blushed immediately.

"I don't get it, why do all the Sohma's flock around Tohru?" Shanley asked, looking up from her book.

"I have no idea, I asked out Yuki and Kyo and both of them rejected me so perhaps I will get somewhere with Kurai" Kuma thought out loud, smiling to herself dreamily.

"Hey that is not fair!" Miru whined childishly. Kuma rolled her dark eyes at her friend. Luckily for them the tutor was back at her desk, idly reading over project papers. She was unaware of their swooning behaviour.

"Now Miru, not to be horrible but what can you offer him? I can give him everything!" Kuma said, sighing dreamily as she looked at the red-head, at how he laughed alongside Tohru. A hint of jealously resided within, she wished it would be her there. She had never seen anyone so striking, perhaps even more so than Yuki. Kurai did not seem as cold as Yuki did.

"That was uncalled for Kuma-" Shanley mumbled.

"But it's the truth!" Kuma said defiantly. Miru looked slightly hurt by the comment but nevertheless kept up her staring act at the red-head. He was so different to the others and it seemed that the boys in the class were making snide comments with regards to the intrusion.

"If you believe you can get with him why don't you invite him to your party? Invite the others too so it doesn't give much away, after all, if you believe you will get him it should not matter who the audience is" Shanley stated, staring at her friend through cold blue eyes. Kuma looked thoughtful, Miru looking on at her best friend, hoping she would consider it.

"That is a wonderful idea Shanley! I'll even invite Tohru just to make her jealous" she laughed at her idea and Miru laughed too;

"Sounds great, can't we have joint ownership of Kurai? After all, I am your best friend?" Kuma paused in her laughing scene and glared at the girl beside her. It was as if she had asked something terrible;

"Are you kidding me? I am not sharing some-one as gorgeous as he is! Sorry love but he is all mine-"

Miru pouted as Kuma rested her head against her hands, a wicked grin plastered across her face. Kurai was unaware of the devious plan the girls were commencing in right now, the plan to steal him away from Tohru. Shanley sighed, obviously not wanting any part of the wicked plan. Kuma started to laugh, already picturing her plan in her mind, She would approach him at dinner time and then leave the rest to her ingenious plan. It was sure not to fail. Tohru was blissfully unaware of their plan and it would only be a matter of time before she discovered their antics. Both her and Kurai had no idea that school life would change so drastically in just a few hours…

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><p><em><strong>(Long chapter! Hope everyone enjoys this and I added in three new characters for my friends! Thank you all)<strong>_


	18. Gossip and Foul Play

_**(Bonjour! Here is the next instalment that you all are waiting for, it is short but hopefully that will not matter. I hope to keep getting reviews. I have added my friends in this and my boyfriend for extras, even though their characters are awful :/ Enjoy!)**_

Chapter Seventeen: Gossip and Foul Play

Those dark eyes watched the defenceless sparrow that perched on his finger, gently tilting it's head to inspect the owner. It was peculiar how animals were somehow drawn to him, perhaps it was due to his curse in the Zodiac, maybe it was due to him being 'God'. He smiled at the small bird, he was already starting to form a plan in his mind to capture Kurai.

"Akito-" A voice was heard, alerting the frail figure. The bird immediately took flight out of the window upon hearing the voice. Akito smiled at the intruder, it was Hatori.

"Ah, hello Hatori. How is everything?"

"Not good I am afraid. We have not heard anything from Shigure about Kurai and his antics with Tohru. I am thinking that they could be hiding something from us" Akito turned back to the window, releasing a small sigh. It was obvious he was not going to give up the chase just yet. Kurai was his and his alone, he was not prepared to allow a normal girl to have the creature.

"This poses a problem I see-" Akito mused calmly. Hatori watched the frail figure beside the open window, wondering what was really going through that cursed mind frame of his.

"What shall we do?" Hatori questioned, feeling guilty at the fact he was helping capture the red-headed boy, that he was on the side of evil this time. Akito turned back to him, a devious smile scarring his lips.

"I will pay my dearest Yuki a visit tomorrow at the school again. I know he will listen to me, he always does-" He started to laugh, a laugh that echoed throughout the empty room. It sent shivers down Hatori's spine. Going to the school tomorrow would most likely traumatize Yuki again and it did not seem fair in his eyes. Akito was after Kurai, not Yuki so it seemed only right to keep him out of the issue.

"Akito, Yuki is not involved with the fox-boy. Why do you suggest going to the school?"

"I believe that if they are hiding something then that is the place it will all become clear. If Kurai wants to be a normal boy then he will join them at school and that is when I will capture him" That evil look in his eyes never subsided as Hatori watched on. He prayed deep within that Akito may one day come to his senses and realise he was fighting a losing battle and that to give up seemed the best option. Of course that was out of the question, Akito would never allow his prisoner to win, no matter what.

"So you are going to the school tomorrow?" Hatori asked again, trying to understand the idea. Akito nodded, chuckling quietly to himself.

"Of course, there is no way Kurai will live a normal life, even if I have to kill him to bring him back I will!"

That ghastly laugh filled Hatori's ears once more and all he could do was bow in respect. A part of him felt sorry for the boy, he had already suffered enough during his life yet Akito was more than determined to bring him back, dead or alive. That would induce Tohru to complete devastation if that occurred and he also knew that it would destroy the family. With that in mind Hatori took his leave from the room and left Akito to his own devices within his room, already creating a devilish plan to snare the fox and to make him prisoner once more.

* * *

><p>The day was going reasonably well so far for the red-headed boy. His oblivious nature helped him throughout the duration of the first lesson. The majority of the female population spent the lesson gossiping and swooning and he was none the wiser. He had no idea how his appearance at the school had affected them, mostly in a positive way. As they all started to walk to the dinner hall Kurai looked across to Tohru. She seemed nervous and he could not quite understand why.<p>

"Tohru you feeling okay?" He asked, slightly concerned. She looked up at him and forced a smile;

"Oh no I am fine! I am just happy that you are here with me" He smiled back, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a small squeeze to comfort her. She felt heat rise to her cheeks as a mass of girls watched him hold her and their faces transformed from relaxed to angry. Poor Tohru, if it wasn't the Yuki fan club girls it was Kurai's new fan club who were after her

"If I were you I wouldn't show Tohru too much attention around here-" Yuki butted in, joining in the conversation. Kurai looked at the rat through worried eyes, just what was that meant to mean?

"Why not?"

"Because the girls here will rip her to pieces if they see you hugging her-" Again his face portrayed confusion, was he that dense?

"I don't get it, why would the girls do that because of me?" Yuki sighed, placing a hand to his head as they walked through the crowds carefully. Tohru remained mute for now, knowing what Yuki meant of course, she was not oblivious to the constant attention the red-head was getting.

"Haven't you seen the way they look at you? The girls in class are all talking about you and saying how good looking you are and such. It is even worse than the fan-club girls with me" Yuki said, looking at the passer-by's, at how they childishly giggled when Kurai walked past. He scratched the back of his head shyly;

"I don't understand why though, I'm nothing special-"

"They obviously disagree with you on that one-" Yuki stated. They walked closer to the dinner hall, seeing the swarm of people line up to collect their food. They eagerly joined the queue and waited. Tohru looked downwards, she felt inferior right now. All the girls were throwing themselves at him and what could she offer him? She was nothing special in comparison. Kurai looked at her, at how sad she seemed and he felt as if it were his doing. He gently rubbed her shoulder and smiled;

"Hey don't be sad, so what if girls like me? It doesn't mean I am going to like them, my feelings for you haven't changed" She looked up slowly, seeing the sincerity within his warm hazel eyes and she gave a small nod;

"Yes I know, I am just being silly" She answered, trying to ignore the girls who were swooning at him. She knew he would not be interested in them, he had sworn himself to her, but why did she still feel inferior?

The three girls from class, Miru, Shanley and Kuma were following behind. It was hard to miss Kurai's mass of red hair and also the main fact he was a lot taller than everyone else. Kuma had a devious look in her dark eyes as she spotted his figure beside Yuki and Tohru. She trembled slightly as Shanley placed her hands underneath her armpits;

"Look you, I don't want you to pass out here because of some guy" She commented quietly, pushing Kuma up onto her feet.

"But he is so dreamy-" She swooned, feeling her legs tremble slightly.

"You need medical help-" Shanley added in, walking ahead of the two girls, not seeing what the fuss was about. The other girls followed eagerly, watching Shanley's elegant blond hair sway behind her as she walked away from them to join the queue for the dinner hall.

"So are you still going to ask him to your party?" Miru asked, nudging Kuma. The dark haired girl nodded with a smile.

"But of course! There is no way I am passing up this opportunity to get with some-one that good looking!" Miru pouted once more, she also liked the red-head but Kuma's boisterous personality always got in the way of her feelings and she always gave into her best friend's wants. Shanley could still hear their conversation even though she tried to ignore it.

"Lucky for us he is here all week-" Kuma added in, standing behind Shanley as they walked to the back of the queue and waited. Miru nodded;

"Yeah, I wonder who he will like the best out of us?" Kuma looked down at her shorter best friend, anger seen in her eyes. It was as if she had said something totally out of the question.

"Of course he will like me the best!" Kuma boasted, tossing back her dark hair over her shoulder. Miru merely whined in response. Shanley sighed, getting evermore annoyed with her two friends.

"Look you two I don't mean to rain on your parade but if you actually opened your eyes you would see he has already got a girlfriend" This made Kuma and Miru pause, their faces filled with horror within seconds of hearing Shanley's speech. Was that true? They rushed to the spot Shanley was standing in and tried their best to overlook the crowd to see if she was telling the truth.

"That is not possible! Who could he be possibility going out with? No-one in the class is as good as I am!" Kuma ranted, trying to see through the crowd at the girl standing beside the red-head. Shanley sighed once more.

"It is Tohru Honda you loony, look for yourself" She pointed to a gap in the crowd and it was easily detectable at the way he smiled at the brown haired girl and the fact he kept hugging her. Miru childishly whined whereas Kuma seemed infuriated;

"No way! I will not allow that to happen! I will talk to him when I get a chance and ask him out myself!" Kuma said bravely, folding her arms in a huff. Shanley shook her head as they all watched the queue begin to subside as students started to get their food for lunch and depart, it would only be a matter of time before Kuma would actually talk to the red-head.

* * *

><p>Once both Yuki and Tohru got served their dinner it left only Kurai in the queue, trying to decide what to have. There was so much choice and right now he wanted everything on the menu, he was so hungry. Kuma watched him eagle-eyed as he neared the end of the line. Both Miru and Shanley tried to ignore her antics as best as they could but it seemed almost impossible. Kuma was most definitely infatuated with the red-head and this was sure to be a problem<p>

"Now is my chance!" She said happily, rushing past her friends to get closer to the tall male who had got her undivided attention. Shanley placed a hand to her forehead and shook her head, it was hard to believe she was even her friend at times. Miru watched on, sulking silently as she also liked Kurai but only Kuma had the guts to speak to him. Kurai picked up an apple and inspected it as he heard a small shy voice;

"Hello there-" He turned quickly and looked down to see it was one of the girls from class. He paused, still holding the apple and said;

"Ummm hello? Can I help you with something?" Kuma squeaked silently to herself at hearing his voice and she felt her legs tremble for a moment. He was here and talking to her and that felt immense to her right now. She shyly tapped her fingers together before asking;

"I was wondering… do you have a girlfriend? And if not can I be your girlfriend?" Kurai's face seemed almost horrified, dropping the apple to the floor immediately. He turned to look at Tohru who was sitting beside Yuki. She seemed so sad, so sorrowful and he swallowed hard. It was unfair on her for him to keep having all this attention.

"Ummm…" He answered, not really knowing what to say to the girl. Her large brown eyes looked up at his face, it was apparent she really liked him in her mannerisms. He scratched the back of his head nervously as he spoke;

"-I am sorry, I already have a girlfriend. Thank you for asking though but I am sorry" Kuma paused, feeling the anger rise within her as she knew who his girlfriend was, it was Tohru and she did not see why. In anger she raised her voice, cursing;

"What do you even see in that girl? Tohru isn't even pretty or anything and yet you go for her? Why? What has she got that I haven't?" Kurai seemed shocked at her sudden outburst and did not know what to say to her statement. He loved Tohru, he did not love this girl. He turned his back to her, grabbing his tray, preparing to walk back to the others.

"I love her, is that enough?" He walked off, leaving Kuma on her own, almost spitting feathers in rage as she watched him walk off back to her. Kuma folded her arms in a huff as Miru came up behind her and tapped her back.

"I am guessing it didn't go too well then?" She asked in a small voice.

"It is none of your business!" Kuma shouted angrily, storming off out of the hall and leaving Shanley and Miru together to eat lunch without her boisterous presence. She never took rejection well it seemed, this was the third time she had been rejected and it was obviously upsetting the girl.

"She will never learn, she always goes for the unattainable guys-" Shanley commented to her friend. Miru nodded weakly;

"Yeah I know" They both grabbed a tray of food and left to find suitable seats for the both of them.

Kurai walked back over to Tohru and Yuki, smiling nervously as he sat down. Kyo had decided not to sit by them, he was sitting further away from them due to the fact he had issues regarding the red-head. Yuki placed a hand to his head, sighing a little;

"See what I mean? Those girls won't leave you alone" Kurai nodded weakly, looking across to Tohru who, for the first time in a long time, looked as if she was about to cry.

"Don't be sad Tohru, I don't want them. I told her I love you and not her"

"It isn't just that-" She mumbled weakly, feeling water begin to form in her eyes. "-everyone will hate me now because you are going out with me" Yuki shook his head along with Kurai.

"Don't talk rubbish Ms Honda, they will get over it in due time. They are only attracted to him because of his appearance. It will wear off in time, just you wait" He smiled at her and she tried to smile back. She felt as if her heart was being destroyed right now and it was not Kurai's fault. He could not help it if other people found him attractive. He shuffled his seat closer to her and rested his head against her arm affectionately, not caring who saw his antics.

"I don't care what people think" Kurai murmured, hoping to make her happy again, to see her smile that beautiful smile he was so used to. She gave a small nod. He lifted his head up and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his chest and snuggling her. He did not care about the mass of glaring eyes that burned into them, it did not matter.

"I want the world to know that you're my girlfriend" He said, smiling. Yuki could not help but smile too, even if at one point he disliked the half Kitsune he was slowly warming to him. He was actually a genuine guy who always took Tohru's feelings into consideration. She felt herself smiling as she snuggled closer into his chest. At least her negativity was subsiding due to his optimism. He was so oblivious to everyone around him, if Yuki had not pointed out that girls were swooning over him he probably would have never even noticed. That was just the sort of person he was.

Yuki started to eat his lunch quietly, seeing how happy Tohru was around the red-head. It was like a breath of fresh air to see her face so full of joy and free from the hardships that he carried with him. It was clear to see that Akito would have a difficult time capturing him now.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in the corner of the room a gang of boys from Tohru's class and from other classes all ate their meals and gave evil glares to the red-head. It was apparent they disliked his intrusion to their daily school life.<p>

"Look at that red-headed freak over there, thinking he is all hard and stuff-" One of the boys commented. Another one nodded;

"Yeah Jiro you are right. Stupid Emo, look at his clothes man. Probably bought them from a charity shop" The boys began to laugh. The one called Jiro started again;

"I know yeah, that hair is absolutely awful, he need a haircut badly!" The other guys agreed, nodding their heads as they continued to psyche out the red-headed male. He was blissfully unaware of their back stabbing antics.

"It's like Ryuu's hair when he hasn't cut it in four months!" One of the boys remarked. The one called Ryuu playfully hit the boy on the arm;

"Oi man, don't be sad. My hair never looks that bad!"

"He has a point there Daisuke, that hair is beyond bad" The one called Jiro said, pulling at his own hair and making funny faces to attempt to mimic the redhead. The boys laughed out loud. Daisuke glanced across at Kurai and narrowed his gaze. It was obvious they had really took a dislike to him.

"Stupid Emo freak, I bet he cuts himself like everyday thinking he is a hard man" Jiro chuckled as he started to pretend to slice his arm with an imaginary razor blade;

"Yeah, he is like 'Arggghhh I am so Emo I have to slash myself everyday'-" He started to laugh louder as he stopped the 'Emo-act'. Ryuu started to laugh too, even though they were criticizing someone they didn't even know it was fun to do it.

"He is with that Tohru girl too-" Ryuu stated, pointing to the brown haired girl.

"Oh my god, she is so stiff with boys. I remember my friend telling me how he approached her in a forest because she gave him the come-on in the library and then she gave him the cold shoulder!" Daisuke said, receiving gasps from the others.

"No way! What a slag!" Jiro commented.

"Trust me, I would have never expected it off her but it is always the quiet ones" Daisuke said, taking a sip from his juice carton.

"Yeah, looks like red-headed freak got lucky to pick up a slag" Ryuu added in, glancing over at the group. They were laughing and joking and all unaware to this torment.

"I bet he gets some every night, lucky bastard" Daisuke said coyly.

"I never thought you liked Tohru" Jiro said, his face looking bewildered. Daisuke shook his head;

"I don't, I am just saying that he gets a shag every night, lucky for him"

"Daisuke shut it, you're still a virgin!" Ryuu started. This got the other boys laughing and Daisuke went unusually quiet for a while.

"Yeah… well… so what if I am?" He answered back, trying to hide the huge blush that was tinting his cheeks.

"You talk about sex like you know everything so shut it" Ryuu said severely.

The conversation ended abruptly due to that statement and the boys continued to glare at the red-head for some time before they heard the sound of the bell for next lesson. Dinner time was over and Kurai and Tohru were blissfully unaware of the hardships they would face in school, from both girls and boys it seemed. The whole school week was not going to go as smoothly as they both would have liked.

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Short chapter, I will write more soon! Thank you all who love this and it really inspires me to keep on writing. Keep up the reviews!)<strong>_


	19. Cameras and Kisses

_**(I am sorry for not updating more recently! I have been robbed so I have no laptop right now to write this fic but I will update when I am at college or whenever possible. Please understand and stick with the fic and thank you all for being so supportive! Means alot! Now I present you with the next chapter, I made it long as I don't know when I can update next, enjoy! Review please~!)**_

Chapter Eighteen: Cameras and Kisses

The everyday hustle and bustle of normal school life was taking its toll on every defenceless student that inhabited its ominous walls. Words of hate, jealousy, worry or merely idle gossip circulated throughout every narrow corridor and claustrophobic classroom. At this moment in time it was apparent that the subject of this gossip was connected to the newcomer in the school, the red-head. Kyo had chosen to stay his distance from the group for a variety of reasons. The main one being he detested Kurai with an intense passion, and secondly he was somewhat jealous. This was probably due to the fact the red-head had stolen Tohru's heart and he had not succeeded. He always believed it would be up to him to make her happy, to make her feel foot loose and fancy free.

Kyo let out a long sigh as he walked in solitude back to class, hands in his pockets. He thought deep within, why had Kurai managed to win over her heart? _Yes, okay, Kurai was incredibly handsome_ and had a 'seemingly' divine and pure personality but that still did not seem enough in his eyes. Perhaps his jealousy was deluding his own thoughts for this once. As Kyo walked towards class he heard a babble of voices in front of him, some hushed whispers and various cursed words;

"Oh for the love of God will you shut up about that red-headed freak?"

Kyo found himself eavesdropping into the conversation that was commencing in front of him. It was the three boys who sat opposite Tohru, Yuki and Kurai in the dinner hall. Their brash voices and annoying behaviour always ticked Kyo off and he could not help but listen in;

"But Ryuu... that girl you like, what's her name... Kuma, she has been swooning after him ever since he arrived!"

"Jiro trust me, I will ask her out later okay? I have seen the way she looks at me so I know for a fact she likes me"

Kyo looked thoughtful; _Kurai had a fan club of girls too?_ This was sure to put Tohru in danger; after all, the fan club girls were not renowned for their charming demeanours towards their enemies. Kyo continued to listen as he walked;

"I doubt she will say yes, she likes red-head. I wouldn't even bother dude-"

"Daisuke no-one asked for your opinion! After all... red-head is with that slag-" Kyo made a mental note of the on-going conversation. _Who were they referring to as a slag? _ As he tried to think he heard the boy's laugh out loud;

"Oh yeah! That skutty Tohru Honda girl! Man, why did he choose her? I mean, she is like as flat as an ironing board!"

"Trust me Daisuke, maybe it is because she opens her legs for everyone-"

Kyo found a terrible wild rage start to consume his body and he balled his hands into fists. His fuse was short as it was and it would not take long for him to lose his temper completely. Nevertheless he continued to listen in on their evil gossip;

"Jiro that is a bit extreme don't you think? You don't know if it is true or not-"

"Come on, my friend Masaki told me everything! He told me how she gave him the come on and then at the last minute changed her mind. It proves she is a skutty whore-" Kyo felt a low growl reside in his throat as their loud, obnoxious voices filled his ears;

"That is probably the reason why Kyo has ignored her lately. Man, I thought he was so into her-"

"Yeah Ryuu. That was true but only because she is easy. He probably just wanted to give his end away and-"

All words ceased as Kyo's temper reached a fever pitch and he lashed out, grabbing Daisuke by the collar of his shirt. An evil blood-lust clouded his maroon eyes as he glared at the frozen boy. He was trembling terribly like a leaf in a forceful breeze. The other boys watched in sheer terror at the scene that was unfolding;

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY? WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Kyo demanded angrily, increasing his grip on the boy's collar. Daisuke winced as he friends merely watched the scene, not willing to aid their comrade;

"...I'm...sorry man. Chill out!"

Kyo growled at the boy, ignoring his pleas and cries and he swung his other fist into the boy's stomach causing him to cough loudly. Daisuke wheezed as the forceful punch knocked all the oxygen clearly out of his lungs for that moment and the pain started to sink into his bones and muscles. His friends leapt back in fright and decided it would be beneficial to run off in an act of cowardice, leaving Daisuke to face the music.

"SAYING SORRY WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING YOU BASTARD! IF I EVER HEAR YOU TALKING BADLY ABOUT TOHRU OR THE RED-HEAD AGAIN I WILL SERIOUSLY PUT YOU IN HOSPITAL!" Kyo shouted out in rage, releasing his grip of the boy's collar and watching as he dropped helplessly to the floor.

A crowd of students rushed past, either gossiping or shrieking at the sudden violence that commenced within the corridor. Kyo watched as the boy known as Daisuke looked up at the orange haired boy, tears filling his eyes.

"Please... don't hurt me..." Daisuke whined like a hurt puppy, his eyes wide in sorrow and his lip quivering at the sadness that was felt deep inside.

Kyo slammed his foot into the boy on the ground, causing another yelp from the defenceless individual. A slight smirk scarred Kyo's lips as he knew that he had succeeded in scaring this boy enough for him to quit the evil gossip that was circulating within the school. Kyo was completely unaware of the three familiar eyes staring apprehensively at the scene. The orange haired boy paused, looking around to see that there was now a large crowd of people circling his figure and Daisuke's and in amongst that crowd was Yuki, Kurai and Tohru.

"Kyo, I know you are annoyed but why do you have to resort to physical violence at school?" Yuki asked, sighing under his breath.

Kyo shot a glance to Tohru who looked completely consumed with worry and the red-head was, of course as always, by her side. It was odd, right now Kyo was not angry at him, he was directing his anger out on Daisuke.

"He was talking shit about Tohru and Kurai-" Kyo mumbled, looking away.

Yuki turned his glance to Daisuke who was still curled up on the floor, writhing in agony. Well, perhaps he had a good enough reason to bestow this cursed punishment on the boy. Kurai looked over Yuki's shoulder to curiously inspect the incident, his hazel eyes blinking curiously for a few moments.

"That boy there was cussing Tohru?" He asked calmly, pointing to Daisuke. Kyo gave a weak nod and refused to make eye contact. After all, he still did not appreciate Kurai's intrusion into his life right now.

"Oh no! He is hurt! We must get help right away!" Tohru pleaded, clasping her hands together in worry.

"I somehow don't think you should be worrying about him-" Yuki added in, knowing that this would cause her to be very confused. It was not often people used to make snide remarks about her; after all, she was nothing special at school. She looked up at Yuki with widened azure eyes;

"But Yuki, he is in a lot of pain!"

"He also kept saying you were a slag-" Kyo grumbled, folding his arms as he looked down at the boy. Tohru blinked, trying to allow the information to sink into her brain. No-one had ever said such profanity to her, she had never done anything to offend anyone so why the sudden dislike?

"He deserves it if you ask me and a whole lot more" Yuki retorted, giving evil glances to Daisuke who was struggling to sit up, clutching his chest. The crowd started to disperse as a whistle sounded throughout corridor. As the students divided their classroom tutor approached, whistle in tow, her eyes wild in rage.

"What the hell is going on here? Why are you not in class?" Yuki decided due to his status in school to foretell the tale of events;

"We are awfully sorry Miss for this but, as you can see there has been a fight-" He motioned with his hand to Daisuke. The tutor's brow crinkled in frustration as she perceived the boy and then glanced across to Kyo. She sighed heavily;

"Was it you who started this fight, Kyo Sohma?"

The only response she received from him was a few grunts and a small sigh. Tohru kept her hands clasped together; even after everything he had still defended her name till the end, even if he knew it would get him into serious trouble. She actually felt sympathy for the orange haired boy as the anger seen on the tutor's face seemed to intensify;

"Go to the Principal's office, immediately!" She shouted out, pointing with her finger to the corridor to his left.

All Kyo could muster was a weak shake of the head and a few grumbles before departing down the corridor. Kurai watched as the figure of Kyo walked around the corner and was out of sight in a matter of minutes. The tutor helped Daisuke to his feet, scanning him intently for signs of injury. He clutched his stomach as he managed to remain stable on his weary legs.

"Go to the school nurse to get fixed up then report to the Principal's office. You two should have been made more aware of the consequences of fighting within school premises" Daisuke gave a weak nod and stumbled away in the opposite direction to the Nurse's office.

Soon after the incident had been dealt with the crowds dispersed and went back to their classes, all idly gossiping about the violent outburst. It was sure to add great status to Kyo as he was the one who won the fight but it was apparent he would get into serious trouble, perhaps even exclusion.

"I hope they go easy on Kyo-" Tohru mused as they started walking back to class.

"I doubt that, the Principal doesn't like Kyo very much as it is due to the fact he refused to dye his hair a normal colour. This will add to the problems I am sure of it-" Yuki added in calmly as they trudged quietly down the corridors which had now turned deadly silent.

It was strange how one minute it was bustling with teenagers and the next it was desolate. Kurai did not seem his usual joyful self right now, ever since he had discovered Kyo's reason for fighting it was as if something was on his mind. Tohru had of course noticed his sudden change in behaviour and curiously enquired;

"Kurai are you okay? You look like you have things on your mind-" Kurai emitted a sigh which immediately grabbed Yuki's attention also.

"It is all my fault, if I had not come here things would be normal and you would not have people saying horrible things about you-"

"It is not your fault" Yuki said, making the red-head look directly at him.

"How can you say it isn't my fault? This never happened before I arrived!"

Tohru looked at the ground; he made a valid point but right now in her mind that did not matter. If she got teased or bullied she did not care about that as long as Kurai was here with her and he was starting to learn more and more about normal human life.

"Kurai please try to understand, boys and girls always make snide comments or remarks to thing they do not understand or that are abnormal. Think about it, you are a hit with the girls because of your appearance and the boys will most likely be jealous of you. That is probably the reason why they like to gossip about you and Ms. Honda"

Kurai gave a small nod, he had no idea that school would be consumed by evil foreboding creatures. He had naively believed that perhaps it would be better than he had assumed but his assumptions were now becoming a reality, a twisted one at that.

"It's fine-" Tohru murmured, giving Kurai a smile. She did not want him to believe it was all his doing. She only wanted to see that beautiful smile, the smile that melted her heart every time she saw it and right now it was missing and she longed to see it again.

"Let's go back to class" Yuki said; his voice cheerier than usual which made Tohru smile. She hoped Kurai would smile soon; she did not want him to be so full of despair and gloom. It almost made her feel the exact same, as if she could feel his pain and torment.

* * *

><p>Once they went back to class and sat down in their usual seat they remained quiet. The tutor did not look pleased but refused to speak of the issue in class, if she had any problems then a talk outside of school hours would most definitely suffice. Kurai could almost feel everyone's burning gaze into the back of his head. Two boys from Daisuke's group of friends were in the class, Jiro and Ryuu and they were laughing and snickering loud enough for the red-head to detect. He released a sigh, was this what it felt like to be ridiculed? To be bullied?<p>

"Do you have a rubber I could borrow?" Yuki asked, leaning over his desk, interrupting Kurai's thoughts. He looked almost lost for a moment as Tohru outstretched her hand in front of Kurai's face.

"Here-" She smiled and gave the rubber to the rat who gave her a nod.

Kurai sighed, placing his head in his hands as he looked across to Tohru. She was idly scribbling down on paper, hiding the details with one of her hands as her face showed signs of determination. _What was it she was writing? _Kurai nudged her gently, causing her to look up at his face.

"Yes?" She asked in a quiet voice, not to disturb the tutor at the desk.

"What are you writing that is so secretive?" He enquired, raising an eyebrow at her. She looked at him and then swallowed hard, even though she knew it was nothing secretive she still felt as if it was. Perhaps it was just in the way he looked at her.

"Oh it's nothing; it's just extra parts for the project!" She said out loud happily. Now was the chance for him to take a look and he peered at the paper. He could make out the word 'fox' and 'mystery' so he knew she was telling the truth. He gave her a smile and turned away, allowing her to continue writing.

Meanwhile at the back of the class Miru, Kuma and Shanley were all working. Shanley was terribly engrossed in her book; it was about Assassin's as she had a sort of ongoing obsession with their way of life right now. Miru was idly daydreaming before snapping back into the real world and furiously scribbling down ideas for what her project entailed. Kuma however was not working; in fact it was probably the opposite. She sighed heavily as the realisation of rejection sunk into her bones. Why had he rejected her, was she not good enough? She sighed once more, dramatically slapping her hand on her head.

"What's wrong with you? What's up with that face of yours?" Shanley remarked coldly, looking up from her book.

"Hey what are you trying to say! This is how I always look!" Kuma said defensively, earning a sigh from her friend.

"I didn't mean like that, I meant as in there is obviously something wrong with you." Kuma sighed once more, placing a hand to her forehead. Shanley hated it when she acted so dramatic over nothing in particular. It was obvious it had some connection to her rejection;

"Oh I am fine, don't you worry about me! I am just thinking about how I could still get to talk to him without him freaking out or something"

"When you say 'him' do you mean Tohru's boyfriend?" Shanley enquired, adding more emphasis on the 'boyfriend'. Kuma nodded weakly. This subject was becoming tedious.

"Well to be perfectly honest with you I do not think there is anything you can do to make him like you. I mean it isn't as if you can suddenly be best friends with Tohru and then ask to be in her project or something-"

Suddenly Kuma jumped up, her dark eyes sparkling in joy. Maybe Shanley had suggested something that would alter the balance of this completely.

"That is it! The perfect idea! I will befriend Tohru and be in her project! I might even get to film or actually be in it!" Miru now looked up from her work, her dark eyes looking between both of the friends. It had only just sunk in that the conversation was linked to the red-head.

"It wasn't a suggestion, it is an absurd idea-" Shanley remarked, returning to her book and continuing to read. Kuma looked thoughtful and then smiled to herself. Out of the blue she raised her arm to get the tutors attention. The tutor raised her head and looked over at Kuma with concerned eyes;

"Yes, what is it?" Kuma put on her best fake smile and innocent face. It caused Miru to start to giggle beside her;

"Miss... I am having trouble with my project right now so could I ask for help?"

The tutor looked thoughtful for a moment before releasing a sigh. Kuma was so intense at times; all she longed for was a peaceful lesson where she could mark homework in peace. The tutor shook her head quickly at the girl's demonic request. She knew what Kuma was like; she was not the best of students in the class. She had a track record of bad time keeping, talking too much and also not doing homework on time and to a good standard.

"No Kuma, I will not allow you to disturb the other students!" The tutor retorted plainly, giving her a cold gaze.

Kuma pouted and folded her arms, obviously annoyed. Her plan was destined to fail unless she quickly conjured up a new one. Her dark eyes focused their gaze on the red-head. She allowed a dreamy sigh to escape her lips as fictitious images flooded her overexert mind. Most of the images were far too explicit to recite. Shanley looked at Kuma from over her book, narrowing her eyes and shaking her head in disappointment. Kuma never handled rejection of any fashion in an appropriate manner and it seemed that the issue needed to be dealt with sooner or later.

The dark haired girl put her hand up in the air once more, waving it about madly. The tutor's countenance expressed annoyance at the intrusion but nevertheless she complied with answering;

"What is it now Kuma?"

"Well..." She started up the 'little miss innocent' act again, "...considering I am stuck for ideas on my own project is there any chance I could look at some-one else's? I won't copy; I just need a rough idea-"

The tutor coughed abruptly, thinking about the girl's request. She had a small inkling that Kuma was doing this for a different purpose than what she was claiming. She was never one for doing school work, and now all of a sudden she wanted to do her project and wanted help? The tutor did not buy that story but she decided to give her a chance to prove her wrong, it would be a pleasant surprise if she was actually proved wrong. Kuma looked at the thin lady behind the desk with large, innocent eyes and wore a sickly sweet smile.

"Who do you wish to ask for help?" The tutor struggled to ask. Kuma's smile widened as she beamed;

"Tohru Honda-" This caused said girl to look up and then around the classroom. She was sure that she heard some-one call her name, there was no way she was imagining it. The tutor looked across at Tohru and then back to Kuma. She sighed;

"Only if Tohru wants to, she is busy with her own project too you know-"

"I know Miss, I won't be any trouble!" Kuma said coyly, watching as both Shanley and Miru were completely caught off guard. _The tutor complied with her request?_ Both girls shook their heads in unison, _how did she do it at times?_

"Tohru-" The tutor called, making her focus her attention to the older female. She nodded weakly;

"Yes, Miss?"

"Is there any chance you could help Kuma with her project? Apparently she wants you to help her with it-"

Tohru paused and looked behind her to the very last row of seats. Kuma sat there, still wearing that sickly sweet grin and she even managed a small wave at the brown haired girl. Tohru returned it with a weak smile, she had never conversed with her or her gang of friends and now she wanted her aid? Out of the corner of her azure eyes she saw Kurai's apparent discomfort; perhaps it was due to Kuma speaking to him previously. She had no idea what they spoke about but on appearance it seemed as if they were arguing about something. Maybe that was the reason for his pain stricken expression. Even so, Tohru was not a vindictive girl and so complied to help the girl;

"Of course I would love to help!" She blurted out happily and this in turn made Kuma feel pleased with her devilish deeds. Tohru was oblivious to her devious plan and now it was sure to work;

"Thank you-" Kuma issued, giving Tohru a fake smile which she took at face value_. Silly, innocent and naïve Tohru. _The tutor sighed;

"Fine, Tohru please sit beside Kuma and show her all your notes that you have done so far-"

The brown haired girl nodded and got up out of her seat slowly. Her figure was followed by Kurai's narrow hazel eyes. He merely watched her walk towards the girl. Kuma gave him a seductive grin and a wink which meant he immediately turned around again. _What was with her? _She was becoming obsessive and it was starting to freak the half-Kitsune out.

* * *

><p>Tohru sat nervously beside Kuma, adjusting her skirt and pulling it further over her knees. She knew deep inside that it was in Kuma's brutal nature to rip people to pieces with just her eyes alone, she was just never satisfied.<p>

"W-what can… I d-do… to h-help?" Tohru asked apprehensively, stuttering on some of her words. Kuma raised an eyebrow at her in confusion and then realised what she meant. She had to keep up this innocent act for some-time. Kuma smiled at the brown haired girl;

"Oh yes, well could I look at your project papers?"

"Of course!" Tohru said happily, handing the papers to Kuma, who pretended to read through them. She paused when she heard the girl's voice once more;

"…if it will be easier for you why don't you be in my project? I need extras and some-one to film anyway. Uo and Hana are both off sick right now…"

Kuma looked across to Miru who winked at her and then she turned to Shanley. She was far too engrossed in her novel, most likely wishing she was in that world being just as graceful and as dangerous as an assassin. Shanley always loved fantasy or spiritual things and, for an odd reason, she adored the colour green. None of these things really had any relevance to the on-going issue but that was what Shanley was like, she was extremely random. After some time the blonde haired girl looked from her book to Kuma and rolled her eyes. It was obvious that she would never support Kuma's ideas in this matter.

"Sure, why not?" Kuma beamed, smiling that wicked smile of hers. This would all go according to her plan and she could not help but feel pleased with herself.

* * *

><p>"You did WHAT?" Kurai exclaimed as he lead the way to the forest just outside the school premises.<p>

"She said Kuma could fill in for Ms. Uotani and Ms. Hanajima-" Yuki stated, carrying the camera and tripod on his shoulder carefully.

"Oh no, this is terrible-" Kurai looked downwards, refusing to make eye contact with the brown haired girl beside him. Tohru instinctively knew that the red-head had issues regarding Kuma but she would not have thought it to be this extreme.

"I am sorry but, she needed help!" Tohru pleaded desperately. Yuki could not help but feel sorry for her. She was naive and unaware of the true intentions of Kuma Makamoto. She was renowned for her malicious streak, even towards her own friends.

"It is fine, it's your project anyway-" Kurai whined.

Luckily for the group Kuma had only just recently left to go to the bathroom which meant it gave them all an adequate amount of time to setup for filming. As they walked Tohru's heart leapt up in joy when she discovered the perfect spot to film. Its appearance was similar to the spot where she first found the red-head; it would be more than just perfect. She smiled as they stopped their walking action;

"This area is perfect!"

"Want me to setup the camera Ms. Honda?" Yuki asked quietly. She nodded and turned to Kurai. His face portrayed hurt and she had no idea to why he looked so solemn. She was not accustomed to seeing him so miserable.

"Kurai, are you sure you're okay?" She asked, tilting her head slightly to the left to see every perfect detail on his face. He turned to look at her and managed to force a smile. He had to show that everything smelt of roses when in actual fact it was the opposite;

"I'm fine, just nervous about being on camera-"

"I never would have assumed you to be shy about something like that-" Yuki commented, checking that the camera was firmly attached to the tripod. Kurai gave a weak nod;

"Yeah, I get cold feet sometimes-"

"Don't worry about it too much. Your fan club girls won't attempt to steal the video if that is what you're worried about" Yuki added in. Kurai gave a weak chuckle; that was the last thing he was worried about. Kuma had asked him out previously and he knew she disliked Tohru with a passion. He just could not come to terms with this sudden agreement. _Just what were her true intentions?_

"Ms. Honda-" Yuki called, causing her to immediately turn to him.

"Yes Yuki?"

"What shall I do if you're on camera?"

Tohru looked up at Kurai who gave a small shrug. Perhaps the red-head did not care about this as much as she did, she wanted it to all flow smoothly without any flaws but it was a childish thought. There would always be faults or a mistake in anything, no-one and nothing was perfect.

"Hey, don't begin without me!"

They heard a loud irritating voice. The group turned their attention to where they had detected the voice. It was Kuma; she was returning and looking even happier than usual. Kurai mentally kicked himself, he was sure to discover the real reasons behind her actions. He believed it had some connection to him.

"Yuki will film this scene-" Tohru issued, giving Kuma a smile. The dark haired girl nodded and stood behind the collected rat, looking through the lens to ensure it was zoomed in to the right level and that the sun was not affecting the visual image. Tohru walked over to Kurai, hoping if they filmed this particular scene he would become more jovial and not so gloomy. _Did he hate school that much? _

"Okay, we are all set!" Kuma called out happily, too loud for Yuki's liking. He placed his hands over his ears in an attempt to block out her loud voice;

"Ms. Makamoto please, keep your voice down! I am susceptible to severe migraines-" Yuki complained, watching her face transform from happy to horror in a matter of seconds.

"I am so sorry Yuki! I will be more careful next time!"

She began to blush crazily and this made Yuki chuckle. It seemed like Kuma still acted embarrassed around him even though she asked him out at the beginning of the school year. Yuki looked through the camera lens, adjusting the zoom slightly to fit both Kurai and Tohru in the frame. It did not help that Kurai was a lot taller than Tohru so getting them in the same shot was proving to be difficult. Eventually, after sometime Yuki did a thumbs up symbol, indicating the go ahead.

"What scene are they acting on film?" Kuma asked curiously, watching both Tohru and Kurai looking at each other nervously.

"I believe we are filming the part where they kiss-" Yuki said.

Kuma's face altered to a demonic expression. She would have to stand back and watch the girl she hated kiss the guy she liked? That was definitely out of the question. In her distorted mind she began to create a new plan, a plan to turn this situation to her advantage. While thinking Yuki called out 'action' and the filming was underway.

* * *

><p>Kuma watched eagle eyed. She waited for that precious moment to commence. She waited until she saw Tohru wrap her arms around the red-head and allowed her eyes to scan both figures. They were both engrossed in each other completely, just how the script had foretold, only this was not merely acting, this was more serious.<p>

_'I just have to wait until they kiss and then I'll unveil my plan!' _She mentally told herself as a devious smirk scarred her lips.

Yuki was oblivious to her malicious plan; his concentration was solely focused on filming. Kuma's dark eyes twitched in horror when their lines were spoken out loud and their lips began to close their distance. To her, it was like slow motion and for a split second her heart began to send a pain around her body. She tensed up when she saw the red-head's lips collide with Tohru's and blurted out;

"STOP! You're doing it all wrong!" Yuki paused, turning round to look at the dark haired girl.

"Excuse me?"

He struggled to comprehend her reasons for the intervention. Tohru and Kurai looked completely shocked at the outburst. Kuma now had chance to search her brain for an answer and quickly. What could she say that seemed plausible? Kuma fidgeted nervously on the spot as she said the first thing that came to mind;

"She… she is kissing him all wrong! If you want it to look good on film you have to do it properly!"

Tohru blinked curiously at Kuma, as far as she was concerned she was not doing anything wrong. Kurai seemed edgy as he had an idea to what she meant; he was not as dumb as people made out.

"What do you mean?" Tohru asked naively, her large azure eyes longing for the answers.

"It's hard to explain, its better if I…." She smiled as she thought of the perfect word to use. "…demonstrate"

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Oooooh exciting! What will happen next? Will Tohru figure out Kuma's scheme? Will Kuma actually kiss Kurai? Review please and let me know. Thank you all and au revoir for now!)<strong>_


	20. Realisation

_**(I'm back! I have a netbook so I can write this fic again. Thank you all for your support throughout my tough times. Now I can happily present you with the next chapter, review and enjoy!)**_

Chapter Nineteen: Realisation

An array of ideas swirled around his head as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. Shigure looked thoughtful as his dark eyes scanned the screen in front of him, attempting to decide what to write next in his new upcoming novel. He thought that the ideas would flow smoothly if everyone was at school but now it was apparent that he was mistaken. Even with their absences his mind was devoid of ideas.

Idly tapping his fingers on his desk the dog mused for a while. He never usually got the dreaded disease of writer's block for a prolonged period of time but when it decided to strike it really affected his writing capabilities.

As he lost himself in his thoughts a loud bang snapped him to reality once more. Quickly glancing around his office he looked at the clock, it was far too early for anyone to be home from school. Just who was it? Curiously he got up out of his chair and went to inspect. A side of him was slightly weary just in case it was a burglar, but then again a burglar would not use the front door would they?

He poked his head from behind his door and breathed a sigh of relief when he depicted a mass of orange hair. It was only Kyo, but it still did not explain why he was home. He should be at school.

"Kyo, you're awfully early. Aren't you meant to be at school?" Shigure asked, leaning his figure against the wall.

Kyo's eyes looked across to Shigure as he sat his figure down on the stairs. His body language gave the distinct impression that something serious had occurred at school and that was the reason for his early arrival.

"I got sent home-" He answered simply, turning away from the dog and resting his head in his hands. A small sigh escaped his lips. Shigure looked at the teenager through worried eyes, his instinct told him that it could be due to him fighting again and right now Kurai was the one person he detested the most.

"Did you fight with Yuki again?" Shigure pursued, wanting to know more. Kyo shook his head weakly;

"No, not that damn rat-"

"Did you fight Kurai?" He continued, folding his arms as he kept glaring at Kyo's form. Again the orange haired boy shook his head. Well if it was not those then who was the unlucky victim? He combed his fingers through his hair as his eyes traced the circles in the carpet, he looked so lost, so troubled and there seemed to be no way of saving him right now.

"Well, what happened?" Shigure asked, knowing that all these questions were sure to irritate Kyo intently. The orange haired boy sighed once more, not wanting to converse about the issue. With Shigure around it was obvious that he would not drop the subject until he knew every little detail.

"Some idiots were cussing Tohru and Kurai so I hit one of them; he deserved it-" Kyo mumbled. Shigure placed his hand to his chin in thought. Kyo defended Kurai? Was he perhaps mellowing towards him?

"Ah, so you defended Kurai too. How nice of you Kyo" Shigure retorted joyfully, seeing the frustration scar Kyo's countenance once more. Okay, maybe he was wrong about that. Kyo gave the rambling dog an evil glare as his brow furrowed in anger;

"DON'T BE STUPID!" He shouted out in rage. As his eyes turned their attention to the floor he continued in a quieter voice;

"…I heard them saying bad things about Tohru and I lost it-"

"I see-" Shigure said plainly.

He wondered whether Kyo was sent home only for the fight or if he had actually injured another student. Kyo increased his grip on his head as those cursed words rung in his mind. How could anyone say such profanity against a girl so pure and as innocent as she was? He did not know what the reasons were for their evil gossip but that was of no concern to him right now. He had taught them a lesson and now he hoped it had ended their devilish antics.

"So that is why you are home so early-" Shigure concluded calmly. Kyo gave a weak nod;

"Sort of, I got excluded-" The dog raised an eyebrow at the orange haired boy. He was assuming this meant he would be off school for some time. He shook his head in disapproval before emitting a dramatic sigh;

"Oh dear, how long are you excluded or?"

"Until the rest of the week-" Kyo answered simply. Shigure nodded, well this was a predicament, he would not be able to work on his novel with a hot-headed teenager running about and destroying his house. He would have to put it on hold for now. It seemed like the only option.

"Do Yuki and Tohru know about this?" Shigure asked, still leaning against the wall as he looked at Kyo. He shook his head sadly; he did not have the heart to tell Tohru, she would only worry and fuss about him and he did not deserve her sympathies.

"No, it doesn't matter anyway. It's not like they are gonna miss me-"

Kyo stood up, grabbing his school bag and headed upstairs to his abode. It was better to ignore this blurred reality right now; he needed to be in solitude. Solitude always comforted him and never judged him. As his figure escaped up the stairs Shigure merely watched. The first day of school and already something had occurred. He had a feeling that today would not go to plan, Kurai was there and it was sure to add problems to school life, for everyone. He weakly sighed and re-entered his office in a feeble attempt to start up writing his novel, to fight off the disease of writer's block and hopefully get somewhere.

* * *

><p>Back at the school the atmosphere was getting increasingly more and more choking as time lingered on. All eyes drilled holes into Kuma's frame as she felt her body begin to tremble slightly. What had she just said? Even if it was her devilish intention there was no way Tohru was that stupid to allow it to occur. Yuki folded his arms in annoyance as he glared at the girl;<p>

"This project is Ms. Honda's not yours. I believe it should be her decision on how she kisses her own boyfriend"

Tohru looked up at the red-head, his face scarred with horror and panic. The sheer thought of kissing that wretched human girl sent a cold shiver down his spine and made him want to vomit. It seemed as if he had terrible gastric problems around other female species.

"I was only trying to help-" Kuma murmured weakly, her dark eyes now focusing on the dirt-trodden ground. Tohru now looked at the other girl, at how saddened she appeared. She was far too naïve to even consider the possibility that she was out to steal her boyfriend for herself. She foolishly believed she was trying to be helpful.

"Oh no Kuma it is fine!" Tohru blurted out, waving her arms around madly.

"It is not fine-" Kurai muttered under his breath. He looked away, not even thinking he could manage to look at the girl. Kuma kept her eyes focused downwards, her desire to kiss the red-head was on the verge of exploding but she felt a slight hint of guilt reside within. Maybe it was due to the fact Tohru was not evil, she was not malicious and it was actually wrong of her to ruin her chance at happiness. That was the good side to her demonic personality. As she felt sorry for herself she heard Tohru speak once more;

"If Kuma thinks I am doing it wrong then I will listen to her. I want my project to look realistic" Yuki looked across to Tohru, not quite believing what he was hearing. She really was too naïve to see her real intentions, was she really just going to allow her to willingly kiss her boyfriend?

"It will look realistic regardless to how you kiss Kurai-" Yuki said, hoping that his words would encourage Tohru to re-think. Kurai refused to listen to this conversation, he wanted no part in this, and he hoped that Tohru would see through Kuma's disguise.

"But-" Tohru started, feeling a sadness creep into her heart. Why was she feeling like this? One minute she was happy and the next she felt like she wanted to cry, it all made no sense to her.

"Tohru it's fine-" Kuma started up, now looking into the other girl's azure eyes and giving her a smile, a fake smile at that. Tohru shook her head madly;

"No it isn't fine, if you think it will look better then please show me" She pursued, unaware of the shocked faces both Yuki and Kurai had. Kurai's expression was closer to mortified than merely shocked. He watched as Kuma smiled at Tohru's suggestion, it was a smile the devil would have been proud of. Yuki watched helplessly as Kuma walked towards them. He knew what she wanted to do; he also knew how adamant Kurai would be to comply with it. This was not going to go as smoothly as she would have liked.

As Kuma walked up to Kurai, standing a few inches apart from him she smiled. He refused to look at her, looking everywhere apart from where she was situated. He did not want to believe that this situation was occurring right now; he hoped that something would happen to prevent her plan from succeeding. Tohru watched on, she was blissfully unaware of Kuma's demonic plan.

"Okay then, I'll show you what to do-" Kuma finalized, giving Kurai a seductive look as he swallowed hard.

He felt paralyzed, that he could not move any of his limbs, that this was going to happen whether he liked it or not. Yuki nervously watched the scene, hoping that Tohru would realise and then stop the act from commencing. It did not look likely however. Tohru watched eagerly as Kuma slowly wrapped her arms around Kurai's waist, watching as his face transformed to horror as she touched him. To him her touch was pure evil; it was as if it were Akito touching him. Tohru continued to watch, feeling slightly apprehensive yet she had no idea to why she felt that way, after all, Kuma was only trying to help her, right?

"Just watch and learn" Kuma murmured, reaching up closer to the red-head, her lips nearing his. He felt as if his heart was in his throat as he watched her wretched countenance close in on his own. He wanted to stop her; he wanted to prevent her from getting close to him. This was wrong on so many levels. As she neared and was only a few inches away from his lips instinctively he grabbed her face in his hands and pulled her away.

"What are you doing?" She cursed angrily, struggling against his grip. Yuki smiled, he was proud of the fact Kurai prevented her devilish antics from taking place. Kurai looked at Kuma, his eyes portraying no sign of sincerity or kindness, just anger;

"Why would I allow you to kiss me? I do not like you, I love Tohru and even if she is too naïve to realise what your intentions are I am not. I know what you're up to and I won't let you do it-"

Kuma's eyes widened in rage as she continued to struggle. Eventually he released her from his hands and she backed off, her eyes filled with anger. Another rejection, this was not going to go down well.

"What the hell do you even see in her?" Kuma cursed, pointing to Tohru in rage. The brown haired girl jumped up suddenly at the change of demeanour Kuma expressed. Why had she suddenly turned so cold towards her?

"Tohru is better than you in every way, and what makes her better than you is that she does not have to force herself onto me. She can hold me and kiss me whenever she likes-" Kurai answered with a smile, watching as Kuma's fists trembled in fury. That really affected the girl, to even think of Kurai holding and kissing Tohru made her blood boil. It was not as if she was anything special in her eyes.

"I think you better leave now Ms. Makamoto-" Yuki muttered quietly, looking at her through cold violet eyes. Kuma looked around, her body trembling in anger as she took one last glance at Tohru. She was so stupid, so naïve to even realise what her real intentions were. She smiled at the brown haired girl;

"Just you wait Tohru, this is not over yet! Just you wait and see!" Tohru mentally flinched at her words and everyone watched as her slim figure started to walk away back inside the school premises.

* * *

><p>Tohru stood there in shock at what just occurred, she had no idea to why Kuma reacted so badly to Kurai's actions. Maybe they were more serious than she assumed. As she started to think about the real reason for her leaving she discovered small water droplets in her eyes and they started to trickle down her cheeks. Kuma was not who she seemed, she knew that now. She knew that Kuma wanted to take Kurai away from her and she was too blind to see it. She really was a fool.<p>

"Ms. Honda, are you okay?" Yuki asked, concerned at her sudden crying scene. She gave a weak nod as she attempted to wipe the tears from her face.

Suddenly she felt arms wrap around her and pull her against a warm, hard chest. It was Kurai and he was still here, holding her and giving her affection after everything she had done. She turned her face into his t-shirt and cried loudly, not believing how stupid she was. If Kurai had not intervened then Kuma would have succeeded. She would have got what she wanted and that thought was slowly killing Tohru.

"Hey don't cry, its fine-" Kurai whispered as he gently combed his fingers through her hair. She weakly shook her head against his chest. It was not fine to her, everything was such a mess. School life was becoming unbearable, girls hated her, boys hated her and she did not think she would be able to cope with it for much longer.

"I-I… I'm sorry… t-this is… all m-my fault… I shouldn't h-have.. said…"

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault that you never see the bad in anyone. You are far too kind and nice for your own good that is all-" Kurai answered, holding her tightly against him, feeling her body convulse violently in his arms. Realisation had hit her pretty badly in his eyes. Yuki gave a weak smile at seeing the two together, it felt right in his eyes. They were perfect for each other in every way and a part of him hoped that Akito would cease in his actions and allow them to be happy. Of course that would never happen, Akito would never allow that.

"I-I should have… k-known what she… was l-like-" Tohru continued, holding onto Kurai's shirt tightly as she cried into it. He shook his head as he kept combing his fingers through her soft locks of hair, trying to calm her down and make her feel marginally better.

"It is not your fault, you don't deserve to be harassed by people like that" She gave a small nod into his t-shirt and inhaled sharply. She could smell his distinctive scent once more and it aided to calm down her nerves a little.

"Ms Honda, please try to understand that there are many people out there who are not as nice as you are. Lots of people will be jealous of you because you have Kurai so please try not to take things at face value from now on" Yuki added in, walking away from the camera and over to the embracing couple. Again she nodded, not knowing what else she could do right now. They were right, both Yuki and Kurai, she was too naive and stupid and never saw the bad side to anyone. How could she change that? It was part of her personality, it seemed impossible.

"Yuki, if you don't mind would you let Tohru and I have some alone time? I think she needs it right now" Kurai mused, looking down at the fragile girl in his arms. Yuki gave a nod, it was true, perhaps this would help her calm down and relax a little. It was obvious that this had affected her to a greater degree than he originally thought.

"No problem, I'll leave you two in peace" Yuki issued as he walked over to the camera and started to take it to pieces, ready to be carried back into school. They got some of her project on film but there was still so much to do. Slowly he hoisted the camera and tripod off the ground, gave a weak smile to Kurai and walked off, back to the school. Yuki knew that Tohru would appreciate the precious alone time with Kurai a lot more without his presence being there.

* * *

><p>Once Yuki's figure had disappeared it left only Tohru and Kurai in the forest. The weather was still pleasantly warm and there was a very soft breeze that occasionally wafted around their faces. It was overall a beautiful day for the weather but it was not beautiful in other senses. Kurai refused to let Tohru out of his grasp, he needed to ensure she was okay and he knew that she would always be safe in his arms.<p>

"Tohru are you feeling any better?" He asked, gently rubbing her back in an attempt to make her feel better. She gave a small nod, raising her head to look into Kurai's warm hazel eyes. She gave a weak smile;

"I feel much better now, thank you-"

"There is no need to thank me, I am just making sure you are okay" Kurai said, giving her a warm smile. He watched as her face was slowly returning to jovial, the look he loved the most. He loved it when she was happy and free from troubles. It was when she was the most beautiful. He slowly pulled away from her and held her hand.

"Do you want to go home?" He asked, looking into her azure eyes for answers.

She gave a small nod. It would be beneficial, today had been a hectic day and she wanted to forget all about it. She had foolishly believed everything would be great due to the fact Kurai would be there with her at the school but it was anything but that. It was horrific and a day that she ardently wished to forget. She squeezed his hand a little as they walked slowly away from the school.

"Please try to forget about today, don't let it affect you too much" Kurai commented.

Tohru nodded, she hoped she had the strength to ignore today's events, to erase Kuma's devilish plans from her mind and to ignore how everyone seemed to just stare at her and make snide comments. It was reducing her to a shadow of her former self and she did not want that.

"I'll try Kurai-" She answered weakly, keeping a firm grip on his hand.

Inside she was too frightened to let go, she believed that if she let go then he would be taken away from her forever and then she would never be able to cope with everyday life in the same way again. He had affected her life too much. A small part of her knew that now she was with Kurai that her life would change, it would alter dramatically and she did not know whether or not it would be for the better or worse. For the first time since her meeting him she was doubting if things would go according to her plan. If her life would have a happy ending or if it would all end in tears.

* * *

><p><strong><em>(Sorry for the shortness of the chapter I am stuck on ideas right now. Thanks for reading and please review. Any ideas are more than welcome, please don't be afraid to tell me anything. Thanks alot again)<em>**


	21. Losing everything

_**(I decided on another chapter, thanks to Kayleigh for giving me ideas! Love you! Anyway this chapter is slightly angsty due to it having some relevance to my own issues right now. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Review please and thank you!)**_

Chapter Twenty: Losing everything

The rest of the day seemingly dragged onwards without stopping in Yuki's eyes. He had a feeling that Tohru would not return after today's events and that Kurai would entreat her to retire to home. It was the best idea and Yuki had no issue with it. Throughout the last lesson he watched the girl's antics at the back of the class, listening in on their conversations and arguments. The blonde haired girl who always read books was defiantly protecting Tohru, much to the amazement of her comrades.

"Kuma you really should just leave them alone. They are happy and in love, just give them some space-" Yuki kept listening in as he continued with his work in solitude. He needed to know more information, he desired more knowledge about Kuma's erratic behaviour patterns.

"It isn't fair! Why can she get some-one that handsome and I can't?" Kuma whined pathetically to her friend. Shanley sighed heavily;

"Maybe it is because Tohru doesn't act like some freaky stalker. Perhaps if you toned down your infatuation you may get somewhere with other guy's in the future"

Yuki now took the chance to turn around and look at the scene for himself. Kuma was sprawled out on her desk, a pout forming on her lips. Shanley was reading, as per usual, while occasionally looking up from her book and coldly scolding her friend's behaviour. Miru, the other girl in their circle of friends hardly ever uttered a word throughout this intense conversation. She kept herself to herself throughout this and continued with her work.

"I am not a stalker!" Kuma cursed aggressively to her friend, causing Shanley to sigh once more.

"Of course not because your behaviour is normal isn't it?" She said sarcastically. Yuki kept an ever watchful gaze on the girls, at how different they all acted. Kuma was borderline psychotic, Shanley was calm and collected and Miru seemed to be like a sheep, just following around whoever had the upper hand in the argument at that time. Yuki watched as Kuma's brow furrowed in anger;

"You're just jealous because I actually have the guts to approach a guy and you don't. You're too shy to even say hello to them-"

"At least I have morals unlike you. I will not stoop down to your level even if I remained single for the rest of my life" Shanley retorted, giving her friend a cold look. Kuma pouted once more, slamming her hands on the desk. It was lucky that they did not detect Yuki watching the scene unfolding, watching the commotion between the girls.

"Well at least I have had boyfriends before-" Kuma commented, a smile scarring her lips. Shanley rolled her cold blue eyes, getting evermore annoyed with her friend's behaviour. It was starting to irritate her.

"You make it sound as if I should care-" she returned, glazing her eyes over her book, attempting to read the words. Yuki watched on, he knew that there was a tremendous amount of animosity between the two girls, he could almost feel it from where he sat.

"Shanley you really know how to piss me off sometimes" Kuma growled angrily, turning away from the blonde haired girl.

"If you continue to behave like this I might just pay a visit to Tohru and tell her everything, which is that you want to steal her boyfriend and make her life a living hell. If I were you I would have a long think about things before you make any more mistakes-" She mused calmly, flipping over to the next page of her book.

Kuma remained mute for the rest of the lesson, obviously sulking. She hated it when Shanley disapproved of her ideas. Yuki watched, knowing that the conversation was over and now he knew the real reason for Kuma's hatred towards Tohru. Kuma was jealous of her, she wanted Kurai but she could not have him. Turning back around in his seat he made a mental note to put a stop to this once and for all, for Tohru's sake as well as Kurai's.

* * *

><p>Back at the Sohma's Shigure was pleased with himself for defeating the enemy that was writers block and succeeding in finishing his manuscript. It actually went better than he first envisioned. He had foolishly thought Kyo would be making a fuss around his house but to his amazement the cat had been quiet, sulking in his room no doubt. This in turn gave Shigure enough time and space to think of various scenarios for his novel and then he had the ideas. As he sat in his chair idly spinning around, he heard the soft buzzing noise of the phone. Who could be calling at this time of day? He got up out of his chair and walked out of his office to the phone. Picking it up, he answered;<p>

"Hello, Shigure speaking-"

"Shiguuuureeeee!" A voice was heard which made him flinch. It was his editor and by the sounds of it she was crying again. He sighed, he hated it when she did this to him.

"Don't worry about the manuscript, I have just finished it" He assured her calmly, hearing her apparent sadness on the other end of the phone.

"Shiguuuurreeee I need them today!" She wailed out to him, causing him to hold the phone at arm's length away from his ear as she screamed out. Perhaps it would be nice of him to pay her a visit and put her out of her misery. It seemed like the best option, considering he was bored just stuck in his house with nothing of any interest to do.

"How about I come round with the manuscript?" He said, hearing her cries quieten down on the other end of the phone.

"Okay then, when will you be round?" Shigure quickly glanced at the clock, it was 3:00pm, and the others would be home soon so he believed that now would be a good time to pay her a visit. He smiled to himself as he spoke;

"Is now okay? I have nothing to do and I know that it would make everyone's life easier if I gave them to you right away" He chuckled to himself, knowing that she would calm down after hearing that and that she would not be spitting feathers anymore.

"Okay then-" She mumbled.

"See you soon" He issued before placing the phone down and ending the conversation.

He took another glance at the clock and smiled, how he loved winding his editor up at times, she was just so easy to get going. He knew all the buttons to press to get her running around in circles and going into sheer madness. With that he decided to gather all his belongings, including the manuscript from his office and depart from the house, leaving an angry orange haired boy in charge of the house while he was away. He contemplated to himself as he opened the door to leave if it was the best option. Would Kyo actually be alright?

* * *

><p>The school bell rang indicating the end of the tedious school day, much to Yuki's enjoyment. He had never wanted school to end so badly, he needed to see Tohru and to tell her about Kuma's devilish antics. It was obvious Kurai was already aware of them but she was not and she needed to be aware of them before the situation got out of control. As Yuki walked out of the gates he heard someone shout his name;<p>

"Yuki!" Turning around quickly he saw a familiar face, that black and white hair he knew all too well. He gave the figure a smile;

"Hello Haru, good day at school?" he enquired as the younger teen rushed up to him. He gave a small grunt in response, Haru was never one for enjoying school, it was not in his system;

"Not really, it was okay. Where is Kyo and Tohru?" Yuki turned away, he had no idea where Kyo was ever since the fight incident.

"I have no idea where Kyo is but Ms. Honda went home-" Haru blinked curiously at Yuki, it was odd to hear of Tohru suddenly going home without any warning.

"Is she sick?" He asked curiously as they both walked out of the school gates. Yuki shook his head and sighed;

"No she is fine, she is just having a tough time in school right now" Haru's expression altered to a look of worry. Was she being bullied? She did not deserve torment as evil as that in his eyes and so curiously he enquired once more;

"Is anyone bullying her?"

"Well, sort of-" Yuki answered, not exactly knowing how to foretell the event to the younger male. Haru was not one to understand a lot of things if it was complicated, considering he always got lost due to his bad sense of direction. Yuki continued;

"-there are some girls, well, a girl in class who is terrorising Ms. Honda right now" Haru paused in walking, pausing Yuki to stop too. This was a troubling subject, if there were bullies in school then the Principal needed to be made aware of it.

"Why is she bullying Tohru?" Haru asked, seeing how this subject was stressing for Yuki. His face was scarred with sadness and it was all down to this situation. Was it worse than what he thought?

"Do you remember when I spoke of the fox in our family?" Yuki started, thinking it would be beneficial if Haru knew the whole story. He gave a small nod, trying to remember back to that time. Yuki nodded and continued;

"-well that fox is now with Tohru, his name is Kurai and from what I can see they are very happy together but, others do not think in the same manner as I. There is one girl in particular who wants Kurai for herself and is trying anything to get him-" Haru nodded, trying to allow all the information to sink deep inside his brain. The girl sounded like she had mental issues to him, even more so than his own 'black-side'.

"That is messed up-" He commented.

"I know, the girl is called Kuma Makamoto" Yuki said as they continued their walk home. Haru looked thoughtful, wondering how he could aid Yuki in this matter. He hated seeing him looking so hurt, so lost and it was due to another individual. He was not going to allow that.

"Is there any way I could help out?" Haru asked, his grey eyes looking intently at Yuki. Yuki gave a shrug of his shoulder, he had no idea.

"I don't know, do you have any ideas?" Haru pushed his hands into his pockets as they walked, contemplating various ideas. He had heard of that girl somewhere before, he was almost positive that she had asked out both Yuki and Kyo previous to this, it seemed as if she was going through the family.

"Should I be some kind of distraction maybe?" Haru suggested, looking to his older cousin for acknowledgement. All he received was a shocked expression, how could he even suggest doing that?

"Haru, the girl is mentally unstable. Why would you even consider doing that?" The black and white haired male chuckled, as if he was classed as normal himself. He too had mental issues, it was a match made in heaven in his eyes. He gave Yuki a serious glance, he was determined to help both Yuki and Tohru, and after all, Tohru was more or less classed as family;

"I have mental problems too if you think about it, I think that it will work. Kuma is going through the family by the looks of it so if I randomly go over to her and ask her out she is sure to say yes" He smiled at his older cousin who merely raised an eyebrow at his plan. Would that really work? Would something that simple really get her to stop pestering Kurai?

"Well, I suppose you could try" Yuki stated, hoping that it would work. Haru nodded, looking up at the sky as they walked. The sky was still of the purest blue and the sun was beautiful and mesmerising as it hung lazily in the sky. It really was a perfect summer's day.

"When do you want me to do it?" Haru asked impatiently. The sooner he commenced in his plan the sooner she would get over her terrible infatuation with the red-head. Yuki looked thoughtful and placed a finger to his chin. He had no idea, Kuma was known for her unpredictability.

"Tomorrow perhaps?" Yuki proposed, looking to the younger male. He nodded confidently. It looked like Kuma was in for a bigger surprise than she first thought.

On the way home they idly chatted about school related issues and also issues regarding the main house, about Akito and about his obsession with the red-head. It was the only subject within the main house right now, the plan on how to capture him.

"I have heard-" Haru started, changing the subject to the issues within the main house. "-that Akito is hiring some people to take care of Kurai"

"Some people, like who?" Yuki questioned, feeling the need to know more about this incident. In the short amount of time he had spent in the presence of the half-Kitsune he had come to like him, to respect him and he knew he was not evil. It seemed morally wrong to continue to hunt him down in the manner Akito was still pursuing in. Haru sighed, looking downwards;

"Higher authorities, people who we are not meant to know about. He has hired them to take care of Kurai once and for all-" Yuki swallowed hard, if only Tohru and Kurai were aware of this evil plan being conjured up right now, it would change a lot of things.

"When you say take care of… do you mean…"

"Killing-" Haru finished, causing Yuki to gasp in shock. They were planning on killing him? One minute just merely imprisoning him was enough to satisfy Akito's power hungry mind but now he longed for his death, it was wrong, so wrong.

"I won't allow that to happen-" Yuki mumbled, causing Haru to look at his older cousin in worry. Was Yuki defying Akito's ruthless actions? He knew that if Kurai was killed it would kill Tohru too, she would be a broken mess and she would never be repaired.

"Is it because Tohru loves him and you don't want her to get hurt?" Haru asked, receiving a nod from Yuki. What other reasons would there be? Kurai was a genuine person, a kind, gentle and honest person, completely contrasting with the attributes Akito foretold him to possess. He was trying to twist the truth to get the family on side to assist with this issue. Yuki decided that he would have no part in this even if it meant him being cast out of the family.

"I will never allow Akito to kill him, it would kill Tohru. Never in all my time of knowing her have I seen her as happy as she is now; she really loves him and it is cruel to snatch that away from her. I won't allow it" Yuki said confidently, refusing to change his opinion. Haru merely nodded, agreeing with what Yuki had said.

"You speak a lot of sense Yuki" He commented with a smile as they walk onwards to their destination. Yuki kept mute for some time, giving himself time to rearrange his thoughts, to try to understand Akito's reasoning behind his actions. He did not see any, he just saw an angry man, trying to control a creature by the only means necessary, the threat of death.

* * *

><p>Kurai and Tohru walked back to the house, enjoying the beautiful weather that surrounded both of them. They had decided to take the long way home as it gave them more time to be in the presence of each other. Tohru had cheered up greatly since the incident at school and now she was enjoying her time with the red-head. She held his hand firmly as they walked, not wanting to let go.<p>

"Are you going to school tomorrow?" Kurai queried, looking down at the brown haired girl. All she could muster was a shrug, she had no idea herself. The idea of returning to the pit of hell was sickening to her and all she wanted to do right now was avoid it altogether.

"I don't know-" She responded weakly. Kurai squeezed her hand a little to offer some comfort. He knew how it felt to be bullied, to feel as if everyone hated you but he never intended for her to feel the same pain that he felt. It was his entire fault and he felt guilty for it.

"I won't go with you tomorrow if it will make things easier" He suggested. Tohru looked up into his hazel eyes and shook her head in protest.

"No I want you there with me, it is not your fault"

"It is my fault, I am the reason for all this mess. If I had not come to school then everything would be normal" Kurai muttered, feeling a pain begin to consume his body. It was emitting from his heart, his heart was aching and it was due to him hurting the only one he loved. She shook her head quickly, holding his hand tightly and trying to smile;

"It is not your fault that you were blessed with good looks. It is everyone else's fault, not yours" He gave a small chuckle, it was flattering that she kept referring to him as good looking even though he did not see it himself. He only saw a cursed and wretched creature that is to be abhorred for the rest of his lifetime. At least Tohru thought otherwise. He nodded at her as they continued their walk.

Once they neared the house Tohru tried to open the door. It was locked. That was odd, usually there was always some-one at home, Shigure never went out and if he did he would always tell some-one about it previously. She tugged on the handle once more and it did not budge, it was locked. Kurai watched her struggle and then questioned;

"Is something wrong?"

"The door is locked but I don't know why, Shigure should be in" She said, looking confused at the situation. Had Shigure gone out, and if so, where to? As she started to think she watched as Kurai walked up to the door and inspected it for himself. He peered through the keyhole, seeing that the door lock was not in place, it was locked from the inside not the outside.

"Some-one must be in because it is locked from the inside" Kurai told her, still inspecting the door intently.

"Try knocking the door" she proposed to the red-head who complied with her request. He rattled his knuckles on the door and waited. No reply. It was deathly silent. Was there no-one home? Tohru now took the opportunity to look up into the sky. It had darkened considerably and it looked as if it was going to rain, why had the weather altered so dramatically? One minute it was a beautiful summer's day and then the next it looked as if it were going to rain, it all made no sense.

"Shall I try breaking down the door?" Kurai asked, turning to look at Tohru. She gave a small nod, what else could they do? She watched as the red-head forcefully slammed against the door, not once, not twice but three times. On the third time the door swung open. Both of them stood there for a moment before daring to venture inside the house. Something wasn't quite right, they could just sense it.

As Tohru walked into the living room she saw it was a mess, the sofa was tipped over, all the draws were open with the contents all strewn over the carpet. The curtains were pulled down and even the bin was emptied. She stood paralysed by the door, her azure eyes twitching in horror. What had happened?

"Tohru what is it?" Kurai asked, taking the opportunity to look around the house for himself.

He saw the destruction, he saw the mess and the chaos that was strewn all around the living room. He paused, inhaling quickly. Tohru placed a hand to her mouth as water congealed in her eyes, what had caused this? She quickly rushed into the kitchen. Her eyes depicted food boxes thrown into the sink and the bin bag was ripped apart, leaving its contents all across the floor. The cupboards were a mess, all food items open and dripping onto the surfaces and the floor. It was a complete mess as she gasped in shock.

"W-what… what's going… on?" She mumbled quietly, feeling tears begin to trickle down her cheeks as the image of the destroyed house began to form in her mind. Kurai came up behind her and placed his arm around her in support;

"Looks like a burglar if you ask me-" he commented nervously.

As soon as those words escaped his mouth she rushed out of the kitchen and up to the bedrooms. She needed to know if everything was still in one piece, if their rooms had been vandalised in the same fashion. First of all she rushed into Yuki's room. It was also a mess, his computer was missing along with his television and all his belongings were thrown across the floor. His bed was tipped upside down and everything was a complete mess. It was so hard to comprehend the reasons for doing this, who could have done it?

"Oh… no…Y-yuki… Yuki's… computer it… is g-gone-" She weakly murmured to herself, feeling her legs get weak underneath her, ready to give way at any moment. How would Yuki react to this? All his work was gone, his room was destroyed.

Next she rushed to Kyo's room, hoping that it was not as wrecked as Yuki's. When she stepped inside she was shocked to see that nothing had been disturbed, it was perfect as when she left it this morning. It all made no sense to her. Next stop was her room, she needed to know if her room was just as destroyed as Yuki's. When she escaped Kyo's room Kurai was standing just outside her room, his eyes portraying sadness.

"This is bad-" He said to himself as he could clearly see how distressed Tohru was at this situation, it was killing her to know that some-one else had been in her home, in her room.

As she entered her room she screamed out in pain. Just like she expected, her room was ruined in the same fashion as Yuki's. Her bed was tipped over and all her belongings were thrown over the floor. The only thing that differed here was that her television and electronic equipment remained, they had not vandalised that. She placed a hand to her mouth as tears trickled down her cheeks at an alarming rate. Her heart was breaking, to witness this scene of chaos was killing her sanity. What had she done to deserve all this?

"W-why would… anyone d-do this… to m-me?" She uttered weakly, crying harder into her hands as Kurai placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He could not offer her much support right now, this simple gesture had to suffice. His own eyes glazed over the wreckage, perceiving broken ornaments, ripped up books, curtains torn down, a tipped over bed and as his eyes raised to the wall he stopped. They twitched in horror, just who or what had caused this? Tohru now looked up also to the spot which had captured Kurai's interest. The wall just above her bed was covered in blood red graffiti, words of hate and death and doom scarred the wall. She screamed out helplessly as her body convulsed violently and she sunk to the floor, head in her hands. The words said;

**Wretched fox scum of the Earth. Die. You do not belong here. You will die. You will never live a normal life. Forget it. Just die, it's what everyone wants. Everyone hates you. Everyone loathes you. It is only a matter of time. YOU WILL DIE!**

Kurai swallowed hard as he read those words in his head. Who could have written such evil words? Tohru was a broken mess on her floor right now, convulsing violently, crying loudly into her hands. It was his entire fault and the one point in his life he felt a tremendous sadness consume his being. If he had never met her she would not be feeling so utterly useless and victimised as she did right now. It was his entire fault and there was nothing he could do to make everything right again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Angsty, anyway I hope you like it. It is building up to something intense! Who did the vandalism? Where did Kyo go? Reviews please and thank you all!)<strong>_


	22. Smashed Into Pieces

_**A/N (I hope everyone is still enjoying this fanfic and pleeeease review! Even if it is just one word or a sentence, I want to make sure I am writing what you guys want. Thanks and here is the next instalment)**_

_**P.S If any of you are kind enough (or crazy enough) to want to do some fanart then I would love to see them! I always want to know how people imagine my OC's, especially Kurai because he rocks! If you want to do some then let me know through message and thanks again!**_

Chapter Twenty One: Smashed Into Pieces

After very little persuasion on Yuki's part, Haru insisted on accompanying him home. He had spoken of 'perverts' and he hated the idea of letting Yuki walk home by himself even though he knew too well that his older cousin was more than capable of looking after himself. Perhaps it was due to the fact Haru did not want to go to the main house just yet. He had only recently discovered that Tohru had a love interest concerning the escaped prisoner and now he had made it his priority to ensure he was good enough for her.

"You really did not need to walk me home Haru-" Yuki muttered, walking steadily alongside his younger cousin.

"There is no need to thank me, I wanted to" Haru replied plainly, knowing that Yuki was not thanking him, in fact it was probably more of a complaint. Nevertheless he continued to follow the older boy, hands in his pockets, looking as relaxed as always.

"You know Shigure always likes to know in advance if we have visitors" Yuki commented, receiving only a grunt from the black and white haired boy;

"I'm sure he'll deal with it. It is not as if I make a habit out of it" That was true, Haru only ever visited on rare occasions, mostly if it was a holiday or a special occasion. Yuki nodded weakly;

"True, I just have a bad feeling about something. I can't put my finger on it"

"What do you mean?" Haru asked, looking into Yuki's violet eyes for an answer. All he received was a weak sigh and a solemn expression. Yuki had not been his usual self for quite some time now and everyone was beginning to worry.

"It is as if something is happening and I feel uneasy. I can't really explain it" Yuki answered, hoping that gave some insight to what he was thinking, of course he needed to explain it in child terms for Haru to comprehend. The younger boy nodded, hoping he was nodding in the right place and not agreeing to something he did not know.

"Okay, maybe it is your mind just going into overdrive" That was a possibility; after all, the day had been hectic. Yuki contemplated the idea as they continued their walk back to the house.

As they walked Yuki started to think about a lot of things, Tohru being a major issue right now. Her love for Kurai was immense and yet others still longed to break them apart. It saddened him down to his core, Tohru was a pure and innocent girl and she only deserved the best and all these problems would only stack the odds against them.

"Hey Yuki, look-" Haru interrupted his thoughts, making the older boy turn to face him. He was pointing just ahead of their current location, something had caught his interest.

"What is it now?" Yuki asked, trying not to sound too harsh. When he turned to look in the exact direction Haru was pointing to he perceived the figure of Shigure walking towards them. He sighed, just what they did not need right now, the rambling dog. Deep within Yuki wondered to why Shigure had left the house and if anyone was home. He was sure to interrogate him as he came closer.

"Hello Shigure-" Haru muttered plainly. Shigure gave him a nod and a kind smile, obviously not bothered about the younger male accompanying Yuki home. Having some company around the house was sure to uplift everyone's spirits right now.

"Good afternoon Haru, I am guessing you will be coming home with us?"

"The main house is too hectic right now, I need some space" Shigure nodded, seemingly understanding his problem. They all continued to walk back to the house, now noticing how the weather had changed so dramatically. The sky was smothered in dark ominous clouds that threatened to release their water upon their cursed heads and drown the world in sorrow. Yuki released a long sigh; that bad feeling still resided inside the pit of his stomach. It was signalling that something was not quite right and he was more than determined to discover the reason.

"Yuki are you okay? Where are Tohru and Kurai?" The rambling dog enquired, making Yuki look up at him. He frowned.

"Ms. Honda and Kurai went back to the house, she is having a hard time at school"

Shigure's face transformed from happy to sad within a few seconds. It hurt to think of his precious little flower being ridiculed within the school's walls. Maybe that was what Kyo had spoken of, the bullying that was commencing.

"Kyo spoke of something like that-" The dog mumbled, placing a hand to his chin as they strolled onwards.

"How did Kyo tell you? Is he home?" Yuki asked, his face portraying how shocked he actually was. Shigure nodded. Yuki had no idea that Kyo would be sent home for his violent outburst. He believed he would get a telling off and then be sent on his way back to class but it was apparent that the Principal saw it as a serious matter.

"Why is Kyo home?" Haru interrupted, letting his curiosity get the better of him.

"He said he had a fight with a student and was sent home. He is excluded until the end of the week" Shigure answered simply, as if it was not a serious matter they were discussing. Both Yuki and Haru seemed taken aback by the news, yes Kyo had problems with school but he never got excluded. This was more serious than they first envisioned.

"I am guessing Kyo is sulking no doubt?" Yuki coldly commented. Shigure nodded, wasn't that what he was renowned for? A few grunts emitted from Haru as the conversation continued;

"I have left him in charge of the house while I went to visit my editor"

"You actually went to see her?" Yuki asked, actually shocked that he had put her out of her misery. The dog always enjoyed teasing her and making her worry over nothing, maybe he got kicks out of it? Shigure dramatically sighed; the one thing Yuki hated the most.

"Come on Yuki, you know me, I would never make her suffer on purpose!"

"Who are we talking about now?" Haru mumbled; looking between both Yuki and Shigure. He had no idea considering the conversation subject had just suddenly changed. They both sighed, not quite believing how dense Haru could be at times.

* * *

><p>As the conversation ceased and they neared the house they were all alerted to the image of flashing blue lights and various men in uniform, writing down notes on their notepads. What had happened? Haru and Yuki stood still, just watching the scene. There was a police car with two policemen standing beside it, one talking into the radio. Why were they here at Shigure's?<p>

"Did Kyo wreck the house again?" Yuki asked, looking up at Shigure. His face was solemn, a look Yuki was not accustomed to. He never usually looked so serious, this indicated that something bad had occurred and it was not to be taken lightly.

"By the looks of it no, the police would not waste time because of him" Haru answered, trying to make heads or tails of this dilemma, today was just seemingly getting worse and more complicated as each minute passed. Was it even possible for the day to get worse? Both teenagers watched as Shigure calmly walked up to one of the officers and enquired about their appearance at his house. They watched as the officer pointed to inside the house and then continued to scribble down in his notepad.

"I wonder what happened here" Haru mused quietly, looking up at the building, trying to think of the possible reasons. Did Kyo murder Kurai? Was that the reason for their intervention?

"I have no idea, let's go and find out" Yuki answered quickly, rushing towards Shigure's figure. Haru gave a small grunt and then decided it would be beneficial if he followed too. He was always one for being nosey and discovering things of high importance. As they edged nearer to Shigure their eyes depicted his form turn to them, his face a sombre look of fear. That was definitely a sign that things were not right.

"What's happened?" The violet eyed boy questioned, looking into Shigure's solemn dark eyes. He sighed, a real sigh this time, full of emotion and sadness.

"The house got burgled-"

"What? Who could have done it?" Haru said loudly, not quite believing what he was hearing. First Yuki foretold about the events at school, and now this. Was it related to each other in some way? Shigure took another look at his house, not daring to look inside.

"No idea, the police are asking Tohru to give a statement right now. She was the one who phoned them"

"Ms. Honda is in there?" Yuki queried; his violet eyes wide in horror. Poor Tohru, this was sure to push her to breaking point. He longed to see her, to make sure she was coping and that she was okay. He did not want to think of her falling to pieces.

"Yes she is; Tohru and Kurai are giving their statements right now according to that officer. Most of our belongings have been taken and there is graffiti in Tohru's room" Haru looked across to his older cousin, knowing that his rage must be tearing at the seams right now. Out of all the days he decided to stop by at the house he had to pick a day when it was consumed in chaos and disorder.

"Graffiti? What does it say?"

"The officer would not tell me anymore information, we will see for ourselves when we go inside" Yuki looked thoughtful as he tried to conjure up a rationalised idea to whom could have done this. Why would someone decimate the house and vandalise her room? It all made no sense and he felt a slight migraine commence deep inside his brain. All this thinking was not aiding to matters.

"Why would anyone do that to Ms. Honda?" Yuki questioned, looking up at the older male for answers. He received none, just a sombre expression, expressing the fear and dread that had consumed his frame right now. It saddened them to believe that there were people capable of such wicked deeds, that they had chosen them this time and Tohru was there to witness the destruction. Yuki knew that it must have killed her to see it, to depict all her items on the floor and to read the vandalism on the wall. She did not deserve this, any of it.

"Maybe it could be due to Kurai-" Haru mumbled, thinking that to be the only possible explanation right now.

"What do you mean by that?" Yuki asked aggressively, not intending for it to sound the way it did. The white and black haired male gave a small sigh as he told his older cousin his theory.

"Well, considering Akito has hired people to kill him perhaps they did this as a warning? You know, like basically say 'if you protect Kurai we will hurt you too'. Get my drift?" Yuki looked up to Shigure who looked thoughtful, it was one explanation but if that was indeed the case then this posed a trouble for the family and of course for Tohru. She was vulnerable being with him if people were set out on killing him.

"What can we do?" Yuki asked, longing for answers.

"We need to make Kurai aware of this and Tohru also. Maybe if they knew it would change things" Shigure mused calmly, watching as the officers started to bundle into their cars and set off.

Soon enough the area was back to normal, just like this morning. After a moment's pause all three of them decided it would be a good idea to inspect the damage, just to see how much chaos was caused and how much it would cost for things to be replaced. They all steadily and wearily entered their once peaceful and amiable home, knowing that it would be far from normal now.

* * *

><p>As all three of them entered the house their eyes focused their gazes on the clutter on the floor, at the destruction that was within, it was all so much to deal with. Yuki walked in front of both Shigure and Haru, his violet eyes wide in horror. He saw everything ruined, curtains torn down and bookshelves on the floor with all its belongings amongst the wreckage.<p>

"This is bad-" Yuki mumbled, perceiving the destruction.

He saw Tohru sitting on a single chair which she obviously fetched from the dining area to sit down and she was conversing with an officer. The officer held a pad with sheets of paper and was writing down quickly what she had told him. Her face was pale, she fidgeted nervously in her seat and her eyes were red. It was obvious she had been crying. Yuki felt his heart sink, he never wanted to see her like this, he always wanted her to be happy and jovial but right now she was the opposite.

"Oh no! My study!" Shigure wailed in the background, only just discovering that is study had also fell victim to the burglary. Haru aimlessly perceived the damage, hands in his pockets, looking relaxed as always. Did anything affect him?

"They took everything that was of value" Yuki muttered quietly, glancing around to see that the television was gone and various paintings were missing. It was likely that both his and Shigure's computers would have been taken too.

"This is terrible! They took my computer!" Shigure screamed out from within his destroyed room. Yuki sighed, of course they would take that, it was the only thing that Shigure owned that was worth anything. Haru walked over to his older cousin, his grey eyes now focusing their attention to a trembling Tohru. She was talking extremely quiet to the police officer who listened intently to her tale of events. It was heart rendering to witness.

"I feel sorry for Tohru, she doesn't need this" Haru stated.

"I know, but I wonder where Kurai is?" Yuki added in, his mind wondering to where the half Kitsune could have gotten to. It was in his nature to flee when danger struck but he never expected him to leave Tohru to deal with this issue by herself. That was a definite act of cowardice on his part. Suddenly Shigure appeared out of his study, holding in his arms all his novels that he had written in previous years, at least they were safe.

"They did not take all my hard work! My novels are all safe and sound, thank goodness!"

"Like anyone would steal those things, burglars want things that are of value you dumb dog" Yuki cursed angrily, seeing Shigure's face transform to sad within a few seconds. He whimpered;

"But Yuki these are my life's work, give me some credit" The violet eyed boy merely sighed and walked towards Tohru's trembling figure. He needed to console her right now because it was apparent that she needed it. Haru remained stationary, looking at the destruction and then to Shigure. At least he seemed relieved.

Yuki walked up to Tohru giving her a small smile. He hoped that it would somehow induce her to smile that beautiful smile he was so accustomed to but she did not. She did not have the heart to right now. His sudden intrusion caught the police officer's eye and he looked up and down at the boy;

"Do you live here sir?" He asked politely to which Yuki nodded;

"Yes, I live here with Ms. Honda and my two cousins" The officer nodded and began to write something down on the paper that was situated on his lap. Yuki stood behind Tohru's chair and placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. She was so tense and jumpy; it was obviously connected to this incident. It was natural for her to be apprehensive. The officer glanced back up at the boy and asked;

"Do you have any idea to whom may have caused this?" Yuki looked thoughtful; the only people who came to mind were his own cousin, Kyo and perhaps Akito. Kyo was not that vindictive was he? Whilst in thought the teen shook his head quickly, not wanting to point the finger at anyone yet. The officer nodded and scribbled down on his paper once more. Tohru turned her head towards Yuki, her large azure eyes lacking that sparkle that he loved so much, her eyes portrayed how lost she was right now. He knew it; he knew that this would be the testing point.

"Yuki… I am… s-sorry… they t-took your… c-computer and…"

"Ms. Honda it's not your fault. Do not apologise, I am just glad that you are safe and that you are not harmed" He gave her a smile to which she tried to return with the same smile but she could not. It did not reach her ears and it looked more like a grimace. He felt his heart pang with hurt, seeing her so full of despair made life much harder to deal with right now. The officer coughed abruptly and spoke up once more;

"Considering the predicament you are all in right now I will call immediately and ask for forensics to come round and search for evidence. It seems as if they have left a nice footprint on your kitchen window ledge where the break-in took place. There is sure to be plenty of evidence from that"

Both teens nodded and the officer smiled at them. At least he was trying to help them. From afar both Shigure and Haru merely watched and eavesdropped on the conversation. They broke in from the kitchen window; that was something they were unaware of.

"Thank you so much" Yuki said politely, bowing down to the officer who had grabbed his papers together and was ready to leave.

"It is no problem, I will phone forensics and you should be hearing off them by tomorrow. For now I recommend you leave the window untouched until tomorrow as not to interfere with the evidence. We will be in touch if we hear anything" Tohru gave a small nod along with Yuki as the officer made his way towards the door. Shigure smiled at the officer and lead him to the door, speaking to him on the way as it was only right he knew the predicament concerning his house. It was all going to have to be paid for and the main house was sure to be adamant about helping out.

Once the officer left the house everything returned to almost normal considering the circumstances. It was quiet and no-one uttered a single word for at least ten minutes. The sheer shock of the incident was just sinking deep within everyone's brain. Yuki walked over and sat in the chair opposite Tohru. Her head was drooped and her whole body was trembling. She was so afraid, terrified in fact.

"Ms. Honda please calm down, everything will be fine" Yuki assured, hoping to lift her spirits up from the pit of hell right now. He assumed she would smile it off and pretend everything was okay as she usually did but this time she did the opposite. She shook her head slowly, not believing his kind words. She sniffled quickly, deterring the fact that she had been crying.

"B-but it won't… everything w-won't… the g-graffiti… it's… h-horrible. W-what am… I g-going…. to d-do?" She uttered weakly, stuttering in between words and pausing to try to hold back her tears. She did not believe that everything would be fine considering the abuse was directed at Kurai and not her. She was suffering because she had willingly chosen to get involved with his life, to become a part of his curse and now she was facing the consequences. Yuki reached out and gently grabbed her hands, looking deeply into her eyes. He wanted to be the loyal, supportive friend he could be if only she let him.

"Ms. Honda please think positive. Don't let this affect you too badly, you're stronger than this"

All he perceived was a weak shrug of her shoulder as her head drooped downwards once more. He also wanted to know where Kurai was, had he runaway? If he had fled he was sure to hunt him down for that, he did not want Tohru to suffer anymore. Whilst being morose she leapt up when another hand placed on her shoulder. Quickly she turned to see who the intruder was to see it was Haru. He gave her a kind smile, gently rubbing her tense shoulder. He was at least trying to help out even if he had no idea how she felt.

"Hey Haru-" She mumbled quietly, feeling tears begin to congeal in her eyes once more. She was tired of crying, she did not want to shed any more tears. Her heart hurt too much right now and all she longed for was for the pain to cease.

"Everything works out in the end, don't worry about it and smile. It's weird if you don't smile, it's just not you" Haru returned plainly in the manner she was used to. This actually made her smile even if a small tear dribbled down her cheek. At least he managed to make her smile. Yuki kept his hold on her hands, squeezing them a little to offer some comfort. He knew that neither him nor Haru could offer her the comfort she needed right now. Only Kurai could help in the way she needed but he was not here, where had he got to?

"Where is Kurai?" Yuki asked finally, feeling as if it was his business right now. He did not want her heart to break anymore; he wanted to help mend it in any way possible, even if that meant hurting the red-head in some way. Tohru tensed up once more at the mention of his name, it was odd to see her body language alter so dramatically at the mention of one little name. Had things changed so much?

"He… he is… upstairs. He is… c-cleaning off… the g-graffiti-" She answered, finding it hard to speak right now. The words were becoming a tangled mess within her throat and she did not believe she had the strength to talk or to think right now. Yuki looked up at Haru and gave him a nod. He needed to speak to the red-head and now.

"Okay Ms. Honda. I am going to have a little talk with him about what has happened. Haru and Shigure will be here to look after you while I am away, okay?" He said with a smile, finally releasing her cold hands. She nodded, looking away from her friend. The teen stood up, his violet eyes meeting Haru's grey ones as he spoke;

"Get Shigure to make Ms. Honda some tea and see if you both can get her to smile again. I must speak with Kurai" As Yuki was about to walk past his younger cousin he was stopped by his arm. The white and black haired male gave him a serious look, questioning his reasons for wanting to speak to the red-head with just his eyes.

"Go easy on him; the burglary must have affected him too"

"Since when do I not go easy on people Haru?" Yuki answered simply, pulling his arm away from the younger boy's grasp and trudging away to Tohru's abode, where the elusive red-head was skulking.

As Yuki's presence left the room Haru turned back to Tohru, gently rubbing her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Shigure hastily rushed towards the kitchen, trying to tidy up what mess he could without interfering with the window. He was on tea-making duty it seemed. Tohru looked up at Haru; at least people cared about her more than she ever thought. Haru was here and even he cared about her state of mind and that gave her some comfort even if it was only a consolation prize.

"Where the hell is Kyo? You'd think he would be here if he knew about this" Haru mused to himself, loud enough for Tohru to hear. She took some time to think, he made a valid point. Kyo had disappeared once more and for the first time in her life she was beginning to doubt his innocence in this dastardly act. Perhaps he was the mastermind behind this devious scheme. She did not want to believe that but right now all evidence was pointing towards the orange headed male. His room was not touched and also he had disappeared shortly after this incident had occurred. It was all pointing in his direction and she hoped her instincts were wrong right now.

* * *

><p>Yuki slowly walked inside Tohru's room, seeing for himself the disorder that consumed her room. Her bed was upturned, her bookshelves were on the floor with all her miscellaneous items scattered over the carpet. Ornaments were smashed and some of her jewellery was taken from her jewellery box. The curtains were ripped down and it was hard to find a patch of carpet to walk in safely as not to step on anything.<p>

"This really is a mess-" Yuki mumbled, his violet eyes darting about the room. No wonder she was so distressed, anyone would be if they had returned from school to discover this. His eyes now focused their gaze on the tall figure of Kurai, desperately scrubbing at the walls with a cloth, attempting to remove the ominous symbolism that scarred them. He was trying so hard but on appearance it seemed as if it was having no effect. Yuki coughed abruptly, getting the red-head's attention. He turned to Yuki;

"Oh hello, I never noticed you come in-"

"Its fine, what happened here?" Yuki questioned, walking over broken ornaments towards the red-head. He shrugged weakly as he continued to scrub at the red paint.

"No idea but it is obviously connected to me. It is all my fault-" Yuki sighed, placing a hand to his head.

"It is not your fault, you did not hire these scumbags to vandalise the house did you? Its whoevers fault that did this, they have their own mind and they are far too corrupt to see what this kind of behaviour is doing to the people involved with it" Kurai gave a small nod, not believing any of Yuki's words. Something was telling him that it was all his fault. The abuse was directed at his intrusion to their life, the graffiti symbolised that. He paused in trying to remove the red paint as his hazel eyes looked across to Yuki, filled with sadness;

"I am going to leave, tonight. Tohru doesn't need this in her life-" Yuki walked closer to Kurai, his countenance expressing a sudden rage as he placed a hand on his hip.

"If you even think about running away I will hunt you down myself. Do you have any idea how this is affecting Tohru? Are you that selfish? If you run away and leave, Tohru will be left a broken mess and I'll have to clean up the pieces. I won't allow you to break her heart; I won't let you do it!" He screeched angrily at the red-head. Kurai looked downwards, he wanted to cry right now, he had no idea how to make everything right again, to make things perfect. His body began to tremble slightly as despair was beginning to consume him.

"But Yuki I can't stay here, it is too dangerous... for all of you-"

"We will deal with this together, all of us. For goodness sake Kurai you are family, even if Akito doesn't want to accept it. I won't let you hurt Tohru; I told you that from the first moment we spoke. I have no issue with you as long as you keep her happy. If you run away that will kill her and then she will never be the same again" Yuki said sternly, grabbing the cloth out of the red-heads hand and started to scrub away at the paint. It was coming off it would just take some time. Kurai stood motionless, watching the younger teen in his actions. Yuki classed him as family?

"How am I making her happy? All I ever do is make her cry, it doesn't matter what happens, everything I do I end up hurting her-"

"That is where you are wrong-" Yuki commented, refusing to look at the red-head whilst he cleaned the walls. "-she is very happy with you, it is not your fault that bad things happen. People are not as willing to accept you as I did. Tohru will never blame you for this, she is not that kind of person" Kurai looked away, feeling his chest begin to tighten. He longed to cry right now, to show that he was not okay, that even he had emotions. The thought of seeing Tohru cry once more was crucifying him and he did not want her to hurt anymore. It would only be a matter of time before it got progressively worse.

"I just don't want to see her cry anymore-" The red-head muttered quietly.

"She will cry nonstop is you just get up and leave her without any word. You should talk to her about how you feel about this, perhaps if you talked about it then it might offer you some comfort" Yuki suggested, taking an opportunity to look at the cloth which was now red instead of white. The paint was coming off but slowly. Kurai gave a small nod;

"Okay then, I will speak with her tonight-"

"Good, and you better not run away-" Yuki said severely, giving the red-head a cold glance. "-because if you do, I'll kill you myself-"

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Ooooh tense! Bless Yuki, he is such a good friend (I wish I had a friend like him) Anyway, pleeease review, I love getting them. Even if it is just one word or whatever just pleeease review. Love you all, thanks again)<strong>_


	23. Faith, Love and Happiness

_**A/N (I just want to say a massive thank you to ValueMyHeart for making a banner for this fic. You are amazing! Check it out on my profile ^_^ Also I am glad everyone is still enjoying this fic, the rating will change in a few chapters to M because there is going to be a lemon :P Hehehehe, yeah I know I am a pervert. **_

_**There is some fluff in this chapter but nothing too explicit, obviously as I have not changed the rating yet but it will change (just to warn you)The ending will be nearing very soon as I aleardy know which ending I am choosing! Ooooh will it be good or bad? Stay tuned and find out :P**_

_**Anyhoo, enjoy and please review!)**_

Chapter Twenty Two: Faith, Love and Happiness

A few hours had passed since the police officer's arrival into their once normal and serene home. Now it was anything but calm, it was crawling with the uncertainty that it could occur once more and the link was obviously Kurai. Ever since he had entered their lives everything was going from bad to worse and rapidly too. It was causing the red-head to have doubts about his reasons for wanting to be accepted by humans. All he ever caused was chaos and disorder and he had considered going back to Akito just to cease this endless punishment.

Kurai sighed as finally he took a look at the wall. It had finally been cleaned and now the paint was not visible. He had worked so hard to remove its cursed mark on her beautiful pastel coloured walls and now all that hard work had paid off. He had been working on this for hours, Yuki had told him to speak to Tohru later about the issues deep inside his heart yet he had no idea how to even foretell them to the innocent girl.

'_I don't want to see her cry anymore; perhaps she would be better off without me. She would get over it, wouldn't she?' _He thought as he idly sat on her soft bed, contemplating what he would say to her. Was she really better off without him in her life? He had no idea what she truly felt deep within her fragile heart. Another sigh escaped his lips as he started to swing his legs back and forth while sitting comfortably, his hazel eyes watching the ticking movement of the clock on the wall.

_'I love her; I don't want her to suffer anymore. It is unfair on her and this is all my fault. If only I had tried harder to live up to my expectation then perhaps this would have been avoided. It is too late now. I have to sort this out, but I have no idea what to say to her'_ the red-head said mentally, watching every second tick by on the clock. To him the seconds were more like minutes. It was getting late now; it took hours to clean the paint off her wall to a point where you could not see anything. It had to be completely clean otherwise it would just be another cursed reminder of his interference in her life. He wondered if she was feeling happier right now, and if Yuki had managed to make her smile. He hoped so; he loved her smile, the smile that melted his heart.

'_Akito won't stop until he gets what he wants, he won't stop at all. Poor Tohru, she has no idea how messed up this is and it all because of me. I really wish right now that I never met her to save her from this, to allow her to live a normal and happy life. Now it just won't be possible, she is as cursed as I am, she will be classed as an outcast and it's all my fault'_

In rage the red-head slammed his fist off her bed, not inflicting any pain to his being. It was merely needed to vent off some steam that had remained too long inside his system. He wanted to cry all night right now, to pretend this was all a bad dream and that he would be allowed to live a normal life with her. That was all he longed for, all he ever dreamed of. To live a happy life, was that too much to ask for?

* * *

><p>Downstairs the living quarters had been tidied up to a suitable standard. At least it looked presentable to some degree. The sofa was back on its feet which meant everyone could finally relax and allow the stresses to escape their bodies. Haru had of course aided Shigure and Yuki in their mission of re-arranging the furniture and ensuring everything was put neatly back in its proper place. It was the least he could do given the circumstance. Now everyone was simply enjoying the company of each other as they idly gossiped away.<p>

"Ms. Honda, please speak with Kurai. He is distraught right now and it is unfair on him. He blames himself for all this mess and he shouldn't. It is not his fault that Akito is so against him-" Yuki mused calmly, looking across to the brown haired girl who sat nervously beside him. At the mention of the subject she tensed up, it was apparent that she longed to ignore this issue and pretend everything was okay as she usually did. She forced a smile;

"I know Yuki; I will talk with him tonight"

"Please do, he loves you too much and if he thought leaving you would make you happy then he would willingly do that" Yuki stated, allowing his violet eyes to trace every detail on Tohru's worried countenance Her azure eyes had still not found that beautiful sparkle that he was so used to witnessing, that spark that made life a little more bearable. He watched as her lip quivered slightly at his words;

"I don't want him to leave-" She mumbled.

"Of course you don't, you love him, its natural" Haru commented, resting his hands behind his head as he sat comfortably beside the collected rat. Luckily for the three teenagers Shigure had the decency to allow them some to speak of private matters; at least he had some tact within that wicked frame of his. Tohru gave a nod at Haru's words. She loved him beyond words, she had never felt this strongly for anyone in her entire life and the thought of him leaving her life so abruptly made her want to cry once more.

"If Ms. Honda does not love him then she would not be acting as depressed as she is right now" Yuki retorted, glaring across at the white and black haired boy. He grunted in agreement and shifted his body slightly to get comfortable once more in the sofa's embrace. Tohru released a small sigh from her being, portraying just how troubled she felt right now. She wished that things could be different, that Akito would open his eyes and see what all this destruction was doing to her. It was reducing her to nothing but perhaps that was what he intended. Yuki placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile. She turned to look at him, his violet eyes narrowed in kindness;

"Talk to him, if you don't this will only escalate into an even bigger problem and then who knows what will happen to both of you-"

Haru nodded, seemingly agreeing with Yuki's comment. The brown haired girl looked away quickly, fidgeting nervously. She really did want to talk to him but for some unknown reason she was compelled not to. It may have been due to the fact she was terrified in case this occurred again or something worse happened. Kurai could get hurt or even she could get caught in the firing line and that thought petrified her entirely.

"I-I don't know… w-what to… say-" She answered weakly, her azure eyes glancing at the carpet instead of her comrade. It was true; her words would offer no comfort to the red-head. He had already decided that this was his fault and nothing she could do or say would change that.

"Just sit down like adults and discuss your problems. You'll find that it may help both of you-" Yuki suggested.

Haru nodded once more, not wanting to speak up himself in case he was classed as interfering in her life. Yuki could get away with it, he was a really good friend to her and she valued his opinions. She gave a small nod once again, inhaling quickly and then exhaling to steady her nerves. Why was she so apprehensive? Yuki squeezed her shoulder gently, attempting to give her some courage to converse with the man she loved. He had no idea to why she was finding this simple task so difficult. Perhaps it was a psychological issue which was of course natural given the circumstances.

"Tohru just tell him what you're feeling right now and how you hate it when he blames himself for this. Be honest and upfront about your feelings" Haru commented, his grey eyes looking across to the fragile girl beside his cousin. Again all she could do was nod in agreement. They were right, of course they were, and she was being a fool as usual and pretending that the problem would dissipate without having to acknowledge its existence.

"O-ok… I'll talk to h-him…" She muttered weakly, struggling to rise up from her sitting position. Her legs felt weak and they trembled as she managed to get onto her feet. It was as if every bone and muscle in her body was reluctant to move towards the destination needed. Yuki gave her a comforting smile, nodding his head slightly to indicate she was doing the right thing.

Slowly but surely she trudged out of the living quarters and headed towards the location of the elusive sulking red-head. She was ready to face it now, ready to talk about the issues that were worrying her and hopefully they would come to an understanding. She knew that he suggested running away as an option and to leave her to live a normal life without him. She did not want that, she wanted to be with him no matter what occurred in their wretched lives. Even if they were destined to be outcasts then she would gladly accept that as long as he remained by her side. That was the side effect to love, it acted in mysterious ways and to be separated meant that a part of her was missing too and she could not deal with that.

* * *

><p>Once she left the room this left only Haru and Yuki together. The silence quickly shrouded the room as all conversation ceased for what seemed like an eternity. In some ways it could have been considered as uncomfortable, Haru had no idea what to say to the rat considering Yuki had greater problems than he did right now. He was trying so hard to help out the red-head and Tohru in their love battle and hopefully he had made a difference.<p>

"I hope Ms. Honda and Kurai work it out, they are strong and they need each other. This kind of situation always tests relationships and it will prove how much they actually love each other-"

"Well if you ask me Tohru deserves a medal for putting up with the constant bullying and stuff that has been happening. I mean Akito is against this and even the people at school. She just doesn't seem to be getting a break from it" Haru commented, glancing across to his older cousin. Yuki nodded, lying back comfortably in the sofa's embrace.

"Things just seem to be going from bad to worse and I have a bad feeling that Akito is up to something"

"Obviously, it is Akito after all. Since when would he ever allow a relationship to happen that included the family? He won't allow any of us to be happy so why would Kurai be any different? Akito hates him" Haru mumbled, now looking up at the ceiling in deep thought. It was not very often that the black and white haired male ever took an opportunity to have a deep think about things but now he had it was starting to sink in.

"I hated him at one point but that was because of what I had heard about him from Akito and the others. He is nothing like how I expected, he is the complete opposite. He is kind and caring towards Tohru and he makes her happy. I think that is enough for anyone to reconsider their hatred towards him-" Yuki retorted, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere in the room. At least Shigure was still remaining elusive and keeping himself to himself right now. He knew better than to get involved with serious issues. Haru nodded;

"Yeah I mean I personally haven't met him to make any judgement but he seems a nice enough guy to me from what I've heard"

"He makes Ms. Honda happy, I have never seen her so full of joy in all my time of knowing her. It really is amazing to see her so carefree and happy" Yuki smiled, he loved seeing her happy. After everything that happened in her life including the terrible disaster of her mother's tragic death it seemed only fair that fate had intervened and offered her another chance of happiness. Haru grunted quietly to himself, it was all true what Yuki was saying. That day Haru saw her in the library she looked happier than usual and that was before she even met the red-head. Yuki turned to his younger cousin, suddenly changing the subject.

"I know this is completely off subject but are you staying here the night?" Haru raised an eyebrow before looking thoughtful. Perhaps he had not considered it.

"I don't think that is a good idea, after all, you guys need some time to sort out the house and stuff ready for the forensic people tomorrow. I'll head off home soon, it's getting late anyway" Yuki nodded and smiled, it was no problem to him. It was very considerate of the younger male to not want to get in the way. At least he was being considerate. This only ever occurred when he was white Haru; if black Haru emerged then things would take a turn for the worst.

* * *

><p>Tohru quietly edged closer to her bedroom door, too scared to open it. She pictured her abode to still be in its ruined state, to depict all her items that she treasured scattered aimlessly on the carpet. It would only cause the horrible memories to resurface and the realisation would sink into her bones. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her wavering emotions. She did not want to cry anymore, she wanted to see him, to see her Kurai. He was probably suffering greatly right now and she blamed herself for that, she was too paranoid and preoccupied with her own feelings that she had completely ignored how he felt during this.<p>

'_Come on Tohru, be brave. It is only Kurai, you can talk to him. You love him remember?' _She said mentally, swallowing hard as her fingertips gently brushed against the door handle.

Her heart started up once more as she pushed down on the handle and the door swung open. Her azure eyes quickly scanned her abode, thinking that she would see destruction and chaos all around but to her surprise she saw nothing. Everything was back to normal, the walls were clean and devoid of graffiti, all her miscellaneous items were safely back to their original places and the bed and bookshelves were re-arranged to how they looked previous to the robbery. As she stepped into her room fully she saw the familiar form of the red-head. He had not detected her entrance, his eyes were focused downwards and his body was slumped on the bed.

"K-Kurai… are you… o-okay?" She mumbled, watching as almost immediately his eyes shot upwards and he looked directly at her. His hazel eyes portrayed sadness, sadness she had never witnessed before. He was not as jovial as she was accustomed to; he was now nothing more than a shadow of his former being.

"I'm as fine as I'll ever be-" He retorted plainly, watching her every move.

She decided it would be beneficial to converse properly with the red-head and so found her being walking closer to his figure. His eyes never left her, watching every move she made. Deep within he was scared, he was terrified that she would never want anything to do with him. It was too dangerous to be involved with him; it would only result in her getting injured or worse. Slowly she sat down beside him.

"Kurai please don't be sad, it's not your fault-" Nervously she gently placed a hand on his shoulder. To her surprise he did not tense up, he relaxed against her touch and released a sigh.

"I feel as if it is though, you don't deserve all this Tohru. You deserve to live a normal and happy life-"

"But I will-" She answered quickly, rubbing his shoulder affectionately. She felt the urge to cry again but she was unsure to the reasons why. "- I will live a normal and happy life… with you… Kurai"

Her azure eyes sparkled with fresh tears that would soon escape them to create ravines down her cheeks. The thought of him leaving her was slowly tearing her heart in two. Was he so blind to see that leaving her was not the only way to solve this mess? He turned to face her, looking into those beautiful orbs of the purest blue. He could see the devotion in her eyes but deep within he thought that he did not deserve her attention or affections.

"How will it be a normal life? Every day something happens to ruin everything. It is because so many people hate me-" He grumbled sadly. Tohru shook her head madly;

"No that is not true! I don't hate you; Yuki doesn't either and neither do a lot of others! You are lovely Kurai and I want us to live happy lives… together"

She quickly grabbed his hand and gave it a loving squeeze. His eyes diverted their gaze to their locked hands and then back up to her angelic countenance. She was so honest and sincere and it was apparent she was determined to fight through this. He smiled at her, hoping she was having faith in her words. She had no idea to what she was agreeing to, she was committing to him and this would obviously result in both of them being constantly ridiculed.

"I just want you to be happy" Kurai said softly. Tohru nodded, feeling the sadness begin to subside as she stared into his mesmerising eyes.

"I will be happy as long as we remain strong and fight this together"

He nodded. She was right; they could not allow Akito to succeed in his malicious plan. After all, if he succeeded that would result in Kurai's disappearance from her life and she was not going to allow that to occur, even if she had to die to prevent it. She would gladly expire if it meant saving him.

The day was coming to an end as darkness began to seep into the room at an incredible pace. Night-time was amongst them and it would soon be the start of another day, another day full of despair and grief. School life would never be the same now and Tohru knew that. She had to try to accept it, even if it was hard to comprehend.

Kurai kept his hold on Tohru's hand, never wanting to let go. Deep within his brain cells he had made a decision, it would alter everything but it would not commence just yet. He needed to be careful about his options and right now he had everything he ever wanted. Tohru was still here, still showing him the love that he always desired and sought after.

"Are you still going to leave?" Tohru mumbled quietly, looking into the red-head's hazel eyes as the darkness was beginning to shroud the room in its black veil. He shook his head and smiled. He did not want to leave her, she had saved him from the dark and had willingly opted to accept his issues and to almost 'drink his deadly poison'. She longed to suffer with him, to share all his burdens and to quell all of his suffering.

"I am not going anywhere-" He almost whispered, reaching out with his other hand to gently caress her face. How he missed this, he missed showing her the affection she deserved. Her skin was soft and so delicate, almost as if she were a china doll, so fragile and delicate. It was as if every touch could make her crumble if he desired. She closed her eyes, enjoying that he was here with her and that he was not going to leave her.

"I want us to face your problems together. Even if it is just one step at a time we can do it" She murmured quietly. He merely smiled at her, at how her words seemed to uplift his cursed soul from the pits of hell itself and it gave him hope, it gave him a purpose for living. He was not classed as an outcast to her, she loved him, everything about him even his flaws, everything she had accepted with such grace it seemed unreal.

"We will, I promise you I will never leave you or make you cry. I don't like it when you cry, it makes me want to cry too-" He answered back, trying to depict every beautiful detail on her countenance in the shadow of darkness. He could barely see her face but he knew she was there and she always would be.

Slowly he tilted her head upwards and neared his lips to hers, waiting for the soft connection that made his heart thunder inside his chest. His lips collided with hers and all words were now hushed as the moment was lost in the apparent passion and sheer love that emitted from both bodies. A simple kiss was so much more than that to both of them, it was significant and it was a sign of their bond increasing with strength as time lingered on. Her lips were so soft against his and he could feel her small hands gently latch onto his t-shirt for comfort. Tohru lost herself completely in this moment, not wanting this to end. A few hours previous to this she had foolishly believed that Kurai would have left her and never return just to save her from living a cursed life. She was wrong and now they had made a conscious decision, they would tread the green herbage of the Earth together, not caring about the consequences.

Slowly they pulled away from each other and just stared into each other's eyes. This moment was perfection; nothing could ruin this, not even Akito. The red-head smiled at her, finally feeling happier than he had been. He knew deep inside that the love he had for her was the strongest feeling that he had ever felt in his existence. He was not willing to give it up so easily just because of empty threats and cursed words.

"I… love you…" Tohru whispered, gently rubbing her nose against his. He slowly inhaled, feeling his heart flutter at her words. Love, it was a word that was still so foreign to him but he knew that it would not take long for it to sink in. She loved him, it was true and it was real.

"I love you too… Tohru-" He muttered softly, allowing his arms to gently embrace his lady as they sat together in the darkness. No artificial light emitted onto both bodies, just the blanket of darkness provided the comfort. She smiled and raised a hand up to gently caress his cheek. He was so perfect, everything was perfect. The way he looked, the way he behaved with her and how he treated her was as if he was the perfect man for her. It seemed almost surreal in parts but she knew that it was not her fantasy. It was happening here and now. The warmth his skin emitted was clearly felt from underneath her fingertips. It was soft and inviting and for that moment she was positive she felt that weird sensation in the pit of her stomach, aching lower down her body. She still had no idea to if it was a normal reaction but she decided not to waste time on thinking about it. This was more important.

"My heart feels as if it has butterflies inside it-" She said tenderly, smiling as her cheeks started to burn up with the blush that glazed them. He gave a small chuckle at her words and pulled her fragile figure closer to his and embraced her tight.

"Me too, it's nice though. I guess this is what love does to you-" She closed her eyes as she buried her head into his warm chest, inhaling his distinctive scent which always allured her. She would always recognise that scent, no-one in this world possessed a smell so inviting and tantalizing and it was purely natural. She loved it and that was the main reason why she lost herself in his arms at every opportunity. Slowly he combed his fingers through her hair as they held each other in the darkness. The moment was more than perfect, it was more like a dream, a dream where you do not wish to awaken from.

"Kurai…" Tohru whispered, getting the red-heads attention.

"What is it?"

"Do y-you remember… w-when we… had the conversation... a-about…" She paused, feeling suddenly embarrassed. Shyly she nuzzled into his chest once again causing him to chuckle. He smiled;

"What conversation? Why are you acting so embarrassed about it?" She swallowed hard. Why was it always so hard to talk about this? It was not as if Kurai was going to run away and leave her. She struggled to think of the words to use in this context and then she decided to just say it;

"The conversation we had…. a-about…taking our… r-relationship to… a-another level…"

"Yeah, what about it?" He answered simply; still combing his fingers through her locks of satin hair as she helplessly clung onto him and kept her head buried into his chest. She held him closer as she found it hard to talk about it. Perhaps it was due to her naivety or the fact she was so apprehensive of the idea.

"W-well… have you… thought a-about it recently?"

Suddenly Kurai pulled away from Tohru, still holding her in his arms but distant enough to look into her eyes. Her eyes sparkled in the dimming light and he just knew what she meant by that. He looked thoughtful as he raised an eyebrow.

"Well to be honest it has not crossed my mind. Why do you ask?" Quickly she bowed her head, not wanting to make eye contact right now. How could she answer this question now? He had completely turned it around and made it out that she was the perverted one.

"Ummm… w-well…" She stammered, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her skirt as she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Kurai watched her, depicting every nervous twitch that emitted from her body, at how she refused to look at him when she was embarrassed and how she always stammered when she was nervous. He knew all the signs; he had been watching her for too long.

"Don't be shy about it, I won't think anything less of you, no matter what you say" Kurai encouraged, smiling at her to try to convince her that it was okay. She bit into her lip as she tried to conjure up specific words to use, words that would make it sound better than it actually was.

"I-I…. guess I…. h-have… but not in a perverted way. I m-mean… as in… y-you know…"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me Tohru, it is fine. I understand" He said calmly, smiling. She quickly nodded and bowed her head, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. Why was she even thinking about things like that? She never ever considered taking things to the next level until they had spoken of it; perhaps she was growing up quicker than she first thought.

Suddenly she felt her head being lifted up to face him and she looked into his narrow hazel eyes. Her heart started up the dangerous beating sequence inside her ribcage and it almost echoed throughout her entire body. He was entrapping her and she was powerless. Tenderly he stroked her chin and up to her cheek, feeling the distinct warmth underneath his touch.

"I don't want this to sound horrible but I think right now we are not ready to take things to that step just yet. Give it some time and then we could think more about it… what I'm trying to say… is…" Kurai mumbled, now it was his turn to get embarrassed. He could see every pure emotion beheld in her orbs of blue and it was starting to make him perspire uncontrollably.

He coughed abruptly and then continued "-it's not as if I don't want to do it with you… it's just that… well… I guess you could say… I'm scared-"

He looked away, letting his hand drop beside him from her face. He felt like a fool for admitting to a girl that he was scared of the idea of making love to someone. He had no idea on humans and he was only starting to get to grips with the basics, this was far too intense for him to comprehend right now. Tohru giggled shyly, Kurai was incredibly adorable at times. It gave her comfort to know it was not only her who felt slightly apprehensive of the idea, that he felt the same way.

"I-I'm scared too… but… w-we could always… t-take it one step at a t-time… like we said b-before…" She smiled bashfully, watching as he turned back to face her. A small blush was just detected on his cheeks as he focused all his attention back to Tohru. She was smiling as usual, trying to make him feel a little more comfortable. The red-head nodded;

"Of course we can, if you want to that is-" He watched as she quickly nodded, a little too quick for her liking. He could not help but smile.

"S-sure… if you want to…" She murmured bashfully.

"Yes, but not tonight. Today has been far too hectic and all I really want to do is sleep. I'm sorry... but I am exhausted-"

Tohru still felt content. It did not matter if they did not try tonight, there were many nights ahead of them and she would wait forever if she had to. She nodded and smiled, knowing that she also felt tired now he had mentioned it and so decided it would be beneficial to get undressed for bed one more.

She got up from the bed and walked over to her chair to retrieve her nightgown. Kurai had even placed it in the right spot that she always put it and she smiled. He worked so hard to get her room back to normality and it was so kind of him. As usual he did not dare to turn around whilst she got changed. He was far too gentleman-like to do that, he knew that she required privacy and that was what he gave her.

"I hope maybe one day I won't have to keep looking away like this" He commented, causing Tohru to blush crazily. She never would have expected him to say something like that but nevertheless she answered;

"Maybe, who knows?" She pulled down her nightdress so it covered her body perfectly and then walked back over to the red-head. He watched as she sat beside him once more and smiled innocently.

"Well anyway… I guess it is my turn to get changed now" He said softly, giving her a wink.

The instant reaction was for her to blush and she did so with immaculate timing. As if on cue, her cheeks began to burn once again and she diverted her eyes. The red-head chuckled as he took off his jacket and placed it on the chair. She was so innocent and naïve it almost made him feel guilty for torturing her like this, even if it was harmless.

"What have I told you about getting shy around me?" He said severely, giving her a stern look. Slowly she turned to face him and nodded. She could not help it, it was in her shy nature to be bashful in certain situations. It would take some time before that habit could be erased.

"I-I'm sorry…" She uttered weakly, now watching as he slowly slid his red t-shirt over his head and then turned to place it alongside his jacket. Tohru swallowed hard when the mental images started to flood her serene mind. This was so unlike her, normally this would make her bashful or feel uneasy but right now the feeling she received was something stronger than that. She felt an odd sensation in her stomach, tightening and churning and moving lower down her body. The red-head watched her closely as he started to remove his black pants.

_'What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I just staring at him? Get a grip Tohru; you have been hanging around Shigure too much. Yeah, that is the reason… it has to be. What else could it be?' _she said mentally to herself, trying to avert her gaze away from the majestic form that was Kurai. His tanned skin was visible under the soft rays of moonlight that shone down on him from the nearby window. Her azure eyes sparkled as they traced every outline of his body, his shoulders, his arms and most of all his flat, toned stomach. Even if his body was cursed with scars it still did not affect his perfection.

"Are you… d-done yet?" She asked quietly. Finally kicking off his pants onto the ground he gave a small nod with a comforting smile.

"Yes I am, so now you can stop being all shy around me"

She quickly nodded and then shuffled upwards so she could ease herself into bed with little difficulty. Kurai mimicked her actions and did the same, allowing his body to sink into the bed's embrace. It was so comforting and soft and already he was feeling tired.

"Are we going to the school tomorrow?" He asked curiously, moving closer to the brown haired girl and wrapping his arms around her. She gave a small nod and uttered sleepily;

"I have to… I have to film tomorrow…"

"Okay no problem" He answered, closing his eyes as he curled up beside Tohru, enjoying the warmth her body emitted when he was nearby. It filled his own being with warmth and he was satisfied with being able to hold her throughout the night.

"Good night Tohru-" He whispered, giving her cheek a tender kiss before snuggling beside her again. She opened her eyes, smiled and placed her hand on his that were wrapped around her. Whilst slowly caressing his hands she whispered back;

"Goodnight Kurai, promise me you'll visit me in my dreams-" He did not answer, he allowed slumber to consume him entirely and he drifted off into the land of dreams. Little did he know that his dreams would hold the key to something vital, that it would play a major role in his next decision. His dream land visions would bring to light the new dangers that were sure to arrive the following day and neither of them were consciously aware of it.

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><p><strong>(AN:Long chapter but hey it is worth it for you guys who keep on reviewing! Thank you so much, I really appreciate all your reviews and thoughts. It inspires me to no end. Thank you!)**


	24. A Premonition?

_**A/N (Hello again, and welcome to another intense chapter! The next one may contain a lemon, depending on if it fits into the story. If not the next chapter then it will be the one after)**_

_**I am so grateful for all your reviews; it really does inspire me and make me happy. I am glad to know that my story is interesting and grabs the reader's attention. Anyway, enough rambling, time to present you with the next chapter. Enjoy and review!**_

Chapter Twenty Three: A premonition?

_The glimmers of sunlight reflected beautifully off the water's crystal depths. It was so beautiful, so mesmerising and Kurai wondered where he actually was. Was this Tohru's dream world? Aimlessly he glanced around, depicting a tropical beach with luscious golden sand which was soft underneath his feet, and he could feel the cool breeze that wafted around his face. It really was out of this world, this place was so perfect and beautiful it made him speechless. _

_He now noticed a small figure further up the beach, kneeled down and playfully splashing in the water. He found himself smiling, it was obvious just who this was, it was Tohru._

_He started to walk towards her, feeling the warmth on his back that the sun offered him. This felt so real, as if he were actually here and experiencing this first hand. As he neared he saw her stand up and face him, a large smile scarred her face as the wind gently tugged at her long locks of hair. It was a picturesque scene of beauty and nothing more. The way the sun shined down onto her figure gave her a celestial appearance, as if she were an angel. Her large azure eyes focused on his figure as he closed the distance between them._

_ "Kurai, you are here in my dream again" she said happily._

_ "I always will, you don't ever have to ask me to join your dreams. I will always be here with you-" He murmured softly, reaching out to hold her hand. It was cold, completely contrasting with his warmth. She looked so radiant, so perfect and he could not help but feel content._

_ "I always feel safe when you're in my dreams. I always know you are right beside me and that makes me so happy" Kurai nodded, gently squeezing her hand._

_ "You will always be safe when I'm here, I won't ever let anyone hurt you" _

_Her countenance expressed nothing but contentment. He liked it, he loved seeing her so jovial and full of life. It made him feel as if he was doing something right. He let go of her hand and decided to wrap his arms around her small figure and pull it close to his chest. She snuggled in close as the breeze sent a cold chill through both of their bodies. That did not matter, all that mattered was this precious moment, and this perfect scene that they wished could last for a lifetime._

_ "I love you-" Tohru whispered, nuzzling her head against the red-head's chest. He smiled, feeling that fluttering feeling commence inside his chest once more and he was starting to feel light headed._

_ "I love you too… Tohru" He replied, pulling her so close to him that their bodies were in direct contact with each other. This perfect unison seemed to last for an eternity as the waves crashed against the shore and the gentle breeze offered them the comfort they desired._

_They refused to let go and neither of them noticed how the sky was slowly transforming into an ominous veil of darkness and how the wind had suddenly increased in rage and was attacking their fragile figures. The waves angrily smashed against the shore and the sun subsided into nothing but a dark abyss. This scene was unfolding to something that would change everything. Normally with Kurai's presence in her dreams it meant that they would still be filled with happiness and joy but this time they were mutating into something abhorred. Tohru slowly raised her head up to see the dark clouds above them and the low growl of thunder boomed in her ears. Her countenance had quickly altered to a state of panic and shock._

_ "Kurai, what is happening?" She asked weakly, still desperately clinging to his form._

_ "I don't know-" He answered honestly, taking this opportunity to scan the area for himself. It was the sign of something bad to come and he knew it deep down. He had a gut instinct that this dream would perhaps foretell of something sinister. In desperation he refused to let Tohru out of his arms, he wanted to ensure she remained safe with him, no matter what._

_ As he raised his eyes to the distance he could barely make out a dark figure approaching them. Was it Akito again? The red-head swallowed hard, hoping that it was anyone but Akito; he could not bear to see that wicked smile or those evil eyes. It would only cause him to remember the horrible past; the past that had scarred his soul. Kurai did not remove his gaze from the foreign intruder in her dreamland and watched as it neared them. It moved in a stealthy motion as if it were a lion stalking its prey and it was apparent that they were that prey._

_ "Don't look at it Tohru-" Kurai murmured protectively, covering her eyes with his hand, wanting to shield her for as long as possible. As the figure neared it seemed as if it had no features. It was a faceless monstrosity and it sent chills down his spine. It was wretched and disgusting and it was all cloaked in black. Deep within he was positive he knew who this was but no name would come to mind._

_ "There is no way in hell you are going to live a happy and normal life you ugly fox. Akito will not allow it and neither will I!" The figure cursed angrily. Kurai's eyes twitched in horror as he removed his hand from Tohru's face, allowing her to see this evil minion for herself. She screamed out in horror and backed away from the red-head, watching as the faceless being started to cackle. The laugh echoed throughout the barren landscape and caused the thunder to boom amongst the heavens._

_ "What gives you the right to tell me what I can and can't do? You do not control me!" Kurai cursed angrily, feeling as if his heart was in his throat right now, suffocating him. The ominous being laughed once more and every beat the red-head's heart commenced in seemed to make his body shake violently. He was terrified and so was Tohru. She watched on helplessly, her legs trembling and clasping her hands together in hope. She prayed everything would be okay, but this was just a dream right? This had no significance to any of them. The being placed a hand in his pocket and muttered evilly;_

_ "That is true but if you will not listen then I will sort it out myself"_

_ The wretched individual pulled out a black mechanism from his pocket, his thumb placed steady on the trigger. This caused the red-head to perspire uncontrollably; he was threatening to kill him? This was only a dream so if he died this would not affect anything, right?_

_ "No please leave him alone!" Tohru called out desperately, attempting to interfere in the scene but some unknown force repelled her. It was as if she was powerless and she could not help in any way. She was forced to watch this scene unfold and to curse her mind with its image for an eternity. _

_ "This is only a dream so if you kill me it will not affect me. I'm not scared" Kurai said bravely, hoping that the words were indeed true. The being laughed once more, pulling back the trigger, ready to shoot. He did not care about the red-heads words, all the being longed for was to destroy him and that was what he was going to do._

_ As he pulled his finger back the heart rendering noise filled Tohru's ears. Two loud shots, and the deed was over with and she could not help but scream out in pain. Her legs trembled and she dropped to her knees, watching as Kurai stumbled backwards, holding his chest. His hazel eyes drained of that beautiful colour as he sunk to the floor and his body shuddered violently. Blood oozed out of the two wounds in his chest, he was feeling weak. Why did this feel so real?_

_ "It is too late for that now, let's see if your philosophy is correct, foolish creature" The being uttered, laughing that devilish laugh once again, echoing throughout the landscape. _

_Tohru watched helplessly at the one she loved, dying right in front of her and she was powerless. She could not even get close to him; something was stopping her and her heart felt as if it was expiring with him. Why was this dream so real? The ominous figure dissipated into nothingness and soon everything returned to normal. It was far from that however, Kurai clutched his chest as the blood covered his hand. He was losing too much of the red substance that needed to fill his body and he was feeling nauseous. The feeling felt as if it actually occurred, as if he actually did get shot in the chest. Weakly he collapsed on the ground, curling up into a ball as the pain struck deep within every muscle and bone in his body._

_ "KURAI!" Tohru wailed out, finding out that she was free from the invisible force and rushed over to him, scampering as quickly as she could. Her azure eyes darted about his wounded body, watching as the blood stained his hands red and his eyes were opening and closing at quicker intervals. Desperately she touched his face as tears started to trickle down her cheeks that escaped from her eyes._

_ "No Kurai you can't die on me! Please, stay with me!"_

_ Quickly she grasped his free hand, squeezing it to try to offer some comfort. She could see his face draining of his colour, leaving it pasty white hue and his breathing was becoming an arduous task._

_ "T-Tohru…" He muttered weakly. She moved near his face, looking over every perfect feature. He looked so weak and he was losing the willpower to fight. She could see his life leaving him and her heart pulsated pain through her body. As she closed her eyes her lip quivered in sadness. Tears made tracks down her cheeks and splashed down onto his form. She was losing him, she just knew it._

_ "Kurai… stay with… me… please! I don't want you to die… please!"_

_ Her body shuddered violently as she cried loudly. This was killing her sanity; to witness this terrible scene unfolding was crucifying her. She placed her head on his form, feeling the weak rise and fall of his chest. It was as if this was occurring for real and this was not merely in her dream world. _

_ "T-Tohru…I… I'm… sorry…" The red-head murmured, his eyes trying to keep open. She gripped his hand tighter, feeling the warmth begin to dissipate from his form._

_ "Don't apologise it is not your fault, just please stay with me!"_

_ Her heart hurt so much; it was as if it were being shredded and now she knew what heartbreak felt like. She had the distinct feeling that this was the end and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. He wheezed as he tried to fill his lungs with oxygen, the blood continuing to stain his hand as it escaped his being. He was becoming weaker and was struggling to remain conscious._

_ "I… will always… l-love… you… I'm… sorry…" He said quietly, his eyes beginning to close as she squeezed his hand tightly. She did not want to let go, she refused to believe that this was happening, even if it was in a dream. It killed her, destroyed who she was and she wanted to scream. Her lungs ached and her heart was a broken mess as she raised her head up slightly. Eyes drained of colour and cheeks blazing with redness she sniffled and shook her head;_

_ "I will always love you too, I promise but please…. don't….. die…"_

_ As she kept her hold on his hand she felt the warmth start to drain away and it left her with nothing but cold. She shuddered as her eyes watched him close his eyes and his face grow paler and paler. He was leaving her, he was dying. She closed her eyes tightly as streams of tears trickled down her face and splashed onto his dying form. Every part of her figure trembled in sadness as the realisation sunk into her bones. Desperately she covered her face with her hands and screamed out into the nothingness;_

_ "Noooooo… KURAI!"_

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><p>Tohru shot up out of bed, her face damp with the tears she cried whilst in her dream world. Gently she touched her face, feeling the wetness and realising that she actually did cry. The dream affected her that bad that she had cried in real life. It was an odd thing to dream of, why would she ever dream of someone killing Kurai? Deep inside her heart still felt heavy with sadness and she prayed that she would never have to go through that. The pain was unbearable.<p>

She quickly stole a glance to the red-head, who was still asleep, blissfully unaware. But of course he would know about it, he was actually in her dream with her so he experienced it too. Tohru sighed as she wiped her face from the damp that the tears had caused.

'_What the hell was with that dream? It felt so real and it hurt to see Kurai like that. I really hope that never happens, I don't know what I would do if it did-" _She mused to herself, her azure eyes focusing on his relaxed form. He was sleeping so peacefully, he was so at ease and that was one thing that made her feel content. At least it was only a dream and nothing more.

Slowly she stretched her arms out and yawned as she looked at the clock in the dim light. It was 5:00am, way too early to get up for school but she knew that now sleep would evade her. The nightmare had caused her to acquire insomnia for a short amount of time and now the only thing she could do was to busy herself in something productive. Perhaps she could do the laundry and get it dried and ready for when they had to go to school?

_'I'll go and do the laundry. Kurai won't mind if I take his clothes to get them washed would he? I will definitely get them dried for when he wakes up so there should not be a problem'_

With that in mind she carefully eased her figure out of the bed's embrace and walked quietly over to the chair. She picked up his red t-shirt, black jacket and also his black pants that were thrown on the floor. Once she scooped up all the items of clothing she took another chance to gaze lovingly at the red-head. His hair was messed up as he lay comfortably on one of the feather pillows, his mouth was slightly ajar and he was breathing heavily. He was such a deep sleeper. Sneakily she crept towards the door, still holding all his clothes carefully in her arms. His scent emitted from the material and it made her smile, at least the smell was offering some kind of comfort right now.

_'I'll be back soon Kurai, don't miss me too much-' _She said mentally as she looked back at the sleeping fox. A small smile scarred her lips as she effortlessly escaped the room and out into the hallway. Once she was out of the room Kurai's body shifted uncomfortably and he shifted position to get into a better place for slumber to continue to take over his body. He was blissfully unaware of the fact Tohru was not there, that she had left to wash his clothes ready for school.

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><p>Quietly she snuck into the kitchen and placed all his clothes into the wash basket. It would be beneficial to commence in the chores early in the morning, considering she would not be able to go back to sleep. That dream had cursed her mind with its abhorred image and she did not want to think of it for prolonged periods of a time. As she started to start up the washing machine she heard movement nearby. Who could be awake at this time in the morning? She refused to turn around, hoping to ignore the presence that she sensed;<p>

"Working already I see-" The voice muttered in a sleepy tone. After turning on the machine she turned around to see it was none other than Shigure. His eyes were still dark and it looked as if he were sleep deprived. She smiled;

"Yes, I couldn't sleep-"

"Neither can I, I think it is because of the burglary" The dog mumbled, yawning loudly as he rested his form against the door frame. She nodded and commenced in placing all Kurai's clothes into the washing machine. She wanted them to be clean and dried by the time he awoke. Shigure sighed as he glanced to the window, seeing the horrible muddy footprint of the ledge. It was small, like a young adult and he had no idea to who would want to break into his home.

"Forensics are arriving today while you are at school. I will tell you how it went when you return" Shigure said quietly. Tohru nodded as she placed the last item in the machine and turned it on and it started to spin.

"Yes I know, please tell us if they get any evidence about who did this" She retorted. The dog nodded;

"Of course I will, although I do wonder to where Kyo is right now. He is not here again and he just takes off without telling anyone. It seems really suspicious" He placed a hand to his chin while he attempted to conjure up reasonable hypothesis's to why he kept up this disappearing act. Was it only due to Kurai's intrusion to his life or was it something more significant? Tohru shook her head, still defending the orange-haired boy;

"Kyo is probably just upset about something. He would never do anything as bad as this. He isn't like that" Shigure raised an eyebrow to the brown haired girl.

"I hope you are right there, I really do" Tohru looked downwards; she at least hoped he would not do anything as malicious as this. What reasons did he have for wanting to destroy the house? There did not seem to be any explanation for it, nothing seemed to add up.

"Kyo is probably at the dojo, you should phone up and see if he is there" Tohru suggested, looking at Shigure. It seemed as if the dog considered it an option because he nodded and smiled;

"Good idea, I will do that right away-" Soon after that the dog left the kitchen, leaving Tohru to continue in her chores, washing the clothes ready for the monotonous routine that was school life. She was beginning to loathe the idea of going there only because of the evil foreboding creatures that inhabited its walls. They were all after her half Kitsune and she knew they would not give up without a fight.

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><p><strong>A few hours later~ <strong>

Kurai woke up to the sound of birds whistling in the trees just beyond her window and the smell of cooking. He slowly rubbed his eyes and sat up, adjusting to the amount of light that flooded the room with its majestic form. At least the weather was good again, this was fortunate. He blinked curiously as he looked up at the clock. It was 7:00am; he had woken up just in time. Shuffling slightly he managed to move the duvet from his figure and stretched his limbs out. The dream that Tohru had last night really affected him, why would she even dream of that? It was obviously connected to something far more sinister and he had no idea to what it could symbolise.

_'I died in her dream and it felt so real. Man, I thought for that moment I was actually dead. I sure hope it doesn't mean that it is going to happen' _He mused to himself, rubbing his forehead slightly to recover from waking up. He was never a morning person and it took a fair amount of time to awaken properly.

As he eased his figure out of the bed he paused. His clothes were missing, where were they? Immediately he started to feel strangely self-conscious. He was only wearing his boxers and he felt nervous. What if Yuki or Kyo came in and witnessed this? It would look bad for Tohru too. He aimlessly looked around for something to cover himself with, sadly it was all girls' clothes and none of the articles would fit him. A sigh escaped his lips what was he going to do?

While lost in thought about his next move he was suddenly shocked when the door started to open. Panic stricken he leapt backwards away from the door and merely hoped for the best, hoping it was none of the guys; it would be awkward if it was. As the door opened fully it revealed Tohru, fully dressed, smiling and holding a tray with breakfast on. He breathed a sigh of relief; thank goodness it was only Tohru. She gently placed the tray on the bed and turned to the red-head.

"It's good to see you awake" She muttered, actually overjoyed that the dream was not real. He was alive and he was not dying in any shape way or form. He gave a shy nod, wanting to ask about the disappearance of his clothes.

"Can I ask you something? Where are my clothes?" She stared at him blankly for a second before realising. She giggled at his words, it was apparent he was bashful at just standing there in boxers.

"I washed them, I'll bring them up for you"

With that she escaped the room once more, leaving the red-head to enjoy his breakfast in silence. He stood stationary for a few moments, thinking about things. She looked almost relieved to see that he was awake; perhaps the dream had affected her too. He gently sat down beside the tray, his eyes glazing over the contents. It was a traditional fry-up this morning, consisting of bacon, eggs, sausages, hash browns, beans and fried bread. It all seemed so extravagant but luckily for him he did not mind. He was starving. He picked up his cutlery beside the plate and started to eat the breakfast, enjoying every flavour that it offered him. It was strange how he was always hungry, especially in the morning. It could have been due to the fact he was mostly nocturnal and so early mornings he would still be feasting and then he would sleep throughout the majority of the day. Nevertheless he enjoyed the breakfast she had prepared for him and waited for his clothes to be returned to him.

* * *

><p>Tohru rushed into the garden and quickly removed the clothing from the washing line. Luckily it was perfectly dry; the beautiful sunny weather had done its duty and had made it possible for the laundry to be completed within a matter of hours. While she placed every item on her arm she heard a voice;<p>

"Good morning Ms. Honda-" She turned around and smiled when she saw the relaxed countenance of Yuki. He seemed happier this morning than usual. He, much like her, was already in his school uniform.

"Good morning Yuki, sleep well?" She asked as she took off the last remaining item and placed it on the crook of her arm.

"Yes, surprisingly. It took me a while to tidy my room but once Haru left I started work and was done within an hour" He smiled to which she returned. At least Yuki was happy this morning. He needed to be; he had that school council meeting today and so had to be in top form.

"Anyway Yuki I'll speak with you soon. I have to give Kurai his clothes back"

"No problem Ms. Honda, see you soon" She nodded at him quickly and hastily walked back towards her abode to where Kurai was. There was not much time for him to get ready and so the sooner she gave him his clothes back the better off everyone would be.

* * *

><p>Kurai placed the finished plate, along with the tray on her bedside table. The food was delicious as always and he did not leave any morsel. That was one thing he had in his favour, he had a large appetite. Once finished he stretched his legs out on the bed, enjoying the relaxation he was succumbing to right now. He really wanted his clothes back so he could get dressed ready for school. Even though school was not to his liking he was doing it for Tohru, she needed him there to help her with her project and he would always put her own feelings before his.<p>

Whilst thinking and gazing up at the ceiling he was interrupted by knocking and then the door being pushed to. The brown haired girl poked her head curiously from behind the door and smiled. She walked towards him, holding all his clothes in her arms, the smell of lavender filled the room obviously connected to the fresh laundry.

"Sorry it took so long" She mumbled apologetically as she handed the articles back to the red-head. He smiled and gracefully accepted them.

"Hey it is no problem, thanks for washing them for me"

She smiled and bowed her head respectfully. It was no trouble; she wanted to keep herself busy after that horrible nightmare. It was the worst thing she had ever experienced in her dreamland. It felt so real and now she was just thankful it was all her imagination. He inhaled the scent that emitted from the freshly washed clothes, the smell of lavender. It was divine and he could not help but feel content. Slowly he placed them on the bed in a certain order. Picking up his black pants first he started to put them on. As usual Tohru looked away, feeling it only necessary to allow him to change in privacy.

"Kurai… did you know about the dream?" She said quietly, still looking away from the redhead. He answered while putting on his pants and arranging them in a certain way.

"Of course I did, I was in it" She felt extremely guilty, he was actually in it and experienced it first-hand. Was it all just her imagination that had caused it? She looked downwards, not wanting to remember those abhorred images, the images that caused her heart to feel as if it were dying inside her chest. The pain she felt was unbearable. Kurai slipped on his red t-shirt as he spoke.

"Don't feel bad about it, it is just a dream"

She weakly nodded, not quite believing his words. Something deep inside told her it was more than that, as if it were a warning for something. The red-head stood up, smoothing out the creases on his t-shirt. He then turned to put on his black jacket.

"I just feel as if it means something, like a warning " She murmured sadly, hoping that she was in fact wrong. She did not want him to be taken away from her at all costs, the thought was too heart rendering. He smiled as he walked towards her. Slowly he wrapped his arms around the fragile girl and pulled her to him. Softly he spoke;

"Don't worry too much about it, I am still here"

That was true, he was not dead and with that she smiled. She was relieved that it was just a dream and she hoped that she would never dream such abhorred things in the remainder of her life. She could not cope with it. Gently he stroked her back, enjoying being close to her. She was so fragile and delicate, he needed to ensure she remained safe and protected at all costs. It was the only thing he could do.

"Let's go, Yuki will be waiting for us" She said quietly, slowly pulling away from the red-head. He nodded.

"Okay, no problem" He reached for her hand and interlocked their fingers as they both left her room together, ready to take on whatever school life would throw at them today. They would not be beaten and would tackle any issues they would face together

* * *

><p>Meanwhile students were already piling into the school earlier than usual. Two students in particular had arrived early just to see if the red-head would show up today or if he had decided not to risk it. It was two boys, Jiro and Ryuu from the class. They walked steadily towards the gates, talking aimlessly and loud enough for anyone nearby to eavesdrop. They were obviously talking about the redhead once again.<p>

"Do you think he will come in today?" Ryuu asked the taller male as they walked. Jiro shrugged.

"No idea but I sure hope not. He pisses me off and I wish that something really bad would happen to him" Ryuu seemed taken aback by his comment and gave the taller male a concerned look. It was cruel to want to bestow punishment on some-one he did not even know.

"Jiro that is a bit harsh I mean… you don't know him"

"I don't want to know him. It is his fault that Daisuke got expelled. I hate him so much"

The boy clenched his hands into fists by his side as Ryuu watched on helplessly. It seemed that Jiro really despised the red-head right now and would do anything to dispose of him. They continued to walk towards the school, blissfully unaware that nearby some-one was listening in on their conversation.

"So what, you going to fight him?" Ryuu asked calmly. Jiro shook his head;

"No, but if I would not get caught then I would definitely teach him a lesson"

The boy's countenance expressed nothing but anger as they strolled onwards to their destination. Ryuu seemed worried, Jiro never usually reacted like this about anything but he seemed infuriated and that lead to other problems. Both boys walked past a tree nearby and then stopped when they heard a sinister voice.

"So… you want to get rid of the redhead too?"

This caused both boys to turn around; their eyes scanned their surroundings in search of where the voice protruded from. Suddenly a tall frail image appeared from the tree, all dressed in black. The figure's black hair clung around the sides of his face effortlessly and dark mysterious eyes glared at the two boys. They began to get nervous, just who was this person?

"Who are you?" Ryuu asked, hoping that it did not enrage the figure. The person smiled; a smile that was so malicious you would think him to be a murderer himself.

"Just answer me this, do you both hate Kurai that much you would be willing to do anything to get rid of him?"

They both turned to look at each other, allowing the person's words to sink in. Anything, what did anything involve? Ryuu seemed adamant about answering but Jiro spoke up;

"Yes, I hate him so much. I want him out of the school" The figure raised an eyebrow at the boy and the smile never left his face.

"Well you are in luck. If you co-operate with me then he will never be in your lives again… or anyone else's for that matter…"

Ryuu gasped and backed away slightly, realising what the figure meant. Killing him, but would Jiro even consent to something that dangerous? They both watched the frail figure, how dark and mysterious he was; how he was offering them a solution to get rid of the red-head. Perhaps he hated him as much as they did. Jiro nodded bravely;

"I'll co-operate with you, what do you want me to do, and before we say any more… what is your name?"

The figure started to laugh, narrowing his dark eyes at the foolish boy. He had no idea what he had just signed himself into, he was now going to be caught up in this mess for all his life. The figure returned coldly;

"Meet me at your lunch break and we will discuss what you must do. Trust me, after you agree to do it for me he will never bother you again"

The boy nodded and Ryuu seemed uneasy at this situation. Was he the leader of a gang or some secret organisation? Almost immediately the figure turned around to leave, leaving the boys dumbstruck and reeling off the idea of having power over another being. Just before the figure was out of sight it turned around and smiled. It muttered evilly;

"Oh and by the way… my name… is Akito"

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><p><em><strong>(Oh no what will happen to Kurai and Tohru? Akito is at the school, will he find them and what about the two boys getting involved? Will they agree to help Akito? Review please and tell me what you think will happen or what you hope will happen. I love to know if this affects people in an emotional way, I strive to bring out emotions through words. Thanks and review please)<strong>_


	25. Power's Temptation

_**A/N (Bonjour to all my fans out there! Seriously, you make this all worthwhile, especially you Evil Neko, you're a star! Anyway here is the next chapter, it is getting very intense now as it is coming to an end soon :'( Oh no what will I do without my Kurai? –CRIES-**_

_**Please keep up the reviews and tell me what you think of it, it helps me gain a greater understanding to what people like and dislike. Thanks again and here is the next chapter, enjoy!)**_

Chapter Twenty Four: Power's temptation

The walk to school was not as jovial as it usually was. It was silent for the majority of the way, neither of the boys uttering a word and Tohru was far too nervous to contribute. They walked at a slower pace than usual; it was as if they knew something was not right, that something would occur today that would change their lives forever, especially Tohru's. Ever since that dream she had been extremely apprehensive about things, even small things would cause her to leap up. Even though she kept constantly telling herself it was nothing more than a bad dream it did not seem to sink in. Her brain thought otherwise, symbolising it as a warning for the future even though she was unsure to what it was warning her about.

Finally as the school gates came into view Yuki was the first one to release a sigh. Perhaps it was due to the school council meeting after school hours and he would have rather gone home than spent his time conversing about subjects he did not care about. That was the downside of being the President of the school council; he had to attend every meeting without fail.

"Ms. Honda, I won't be able to walk with you after school because of the meeting" The brown haired girl turned to look at the tall boy and she smiled. It felt forced to some degree.

"It is okay Yuki, I'll be fine. Kurai is with me" The red-head motioned a nod and this caused Yuki to smile.

"I have no doubts that you will be fine with him"

Tohru felt slightly happier now that they were all conversing properly. The one thing she loathed was awkward silences but now it was broken and they were talking once again. At least that was one weight off her mind. She gently took hold of Kurai's hand, squeezing it slightly as they continued to walk. Consciously she had decided she did not care who saw her with him, he was hers and if they had an issue with it then she would have to deal with it like a proper adult instead of cowering away like a frightened rabbit.

"Are we filming today?" Kurai asked, looking down at Tohru. She nodded;

"Yes I hope so, first lesson I would like to get all the filming out of the way and then I can concentrate on editing it"

Yuki looked thoughtful, would he be in charge of the camera again? He did not mind helping out but his own project was scheduled to be completed soon.

"Ms. Honda do you need my help today?" She turned to the violet eyed boy, her face portrayed uncertainty. She was not entirely sure due to the fact one scene required Yuki to act out Akito's part, and then who would film it? She was not very skilled with cameras.

"I think so, but I need to film your scene with Kurai today" The red-head looked across to Yuki and gave him a nod, even if Yuki was acting like Akito in the film he knew he was not that wretched creature so it was okay. Akito was not in close proximity to him and he felt content with knowing that information.

"Okay then no problem" Yuki mumbled, walking alongside the brown haired girl. Her countenance beamed with joy, at least today most of her project would be completed and then all the stresses would dissipate from her being and she could enjoy editing the final product.

"Do I have to act today?" Kurai asked curiously.

"Yes, with myself and Yuki" Tohru answered happily. The red-head smiled, as did Yuki. At least with the film project on their minds it preoccupied their thoughts and they did not even mention the previous day's events.

As they walked towards the gates, crowds of students stared enviously at Tohru. She was walking with 'Prince' Yuki and also the new comer who most girls were swooning after. It was as if she were some sort of pimp but she tried to ignore it, she attempted to ignore the evil glares, the fiendish whispers and the cursed words that mocked her and taunted her as they entered the school yard, ready for the day to commence.

* * *

><p>Jiro and Ryuu started to walk to their class, the atmosphere between them slightly nauseating after the ominous visit. Both boys were contemplating the stranger's words to some degree and wondered if he actually spoke of the truth or if it were all just malicious lies.<p>

"Do you think that Akito guy was right?" Ryuu asked curiously to his comrade, his large blue eyes staring up at the taller male. The other boy shrugged, his face portraying determination. It was obvious he had already made his decision.

"I don't care but I am going to meet him at dinner. I want to see what he can do for me" Jiro smiled, his cobalt eyes sparkling with the power that he would soon possess. His face had transformed to something monstrous, something to be reckoned with. Ryuu combed his fingers through his mass of brown hair and sighed, not wanting any part of this. It was not right; they could not get involved with someone as twisted as that, it could lead to other problems. Ryuu was cleverer to know when things seemed better than what they actually would be like; it could all be a devious trick to lure them into a trap.

"Think about it Jiro, this guy could be some psycho who wants to kill us-"

"I doubt that very much, did you see how he looked? He looked identical to Yuki Sohma so it is obvious they are related in some way, and besides, if he is offering me a way to get rid of the red-head then I am on his side" Jiro remained determined, knowing that his beliefs would lead him down his own path. Whether the path was good or bad he was not going to turn back now, it was far too late for that. Kurai had interfered in his life for too long and he despised him for that. Ryuu looked up at his comrade's face; there was no way he would listen to what he said so he just needed to accept this fact even if he was reluctant to do so.

"Fine, but don't blame me if we get caught up in something bad"

Jiro turned to his friend smiling, a smile that the devil would have been proud of.

"Don't worry Ryuu; I have got it all under control. Soon that bastard will be out of our lives for good"

He started to laugh and Ryuu remained silent. They continued their walk towards their classroom, knowing that today would change everything, that today would alter the axis of things for the future and would probably be the turning point in Jiro's battle for dominance.

* * *

><p><strong>A few hours later~<strong>

It was beautiful weather to film out in and the sun warmed everyone's back as they strolled onwards to the set for the filming to take place. Luckily for Tohru the tutor had allowed her the majority of the day to continue with filming, at least it got her out of the classroom where all the evil creatures from the pits of hell were residing. Their evil glares and cursed whispers evaded her right now. She felt marginally happier knowing that Yuki and Kurai were here with her and that she would spend the remainder of the day filming. At least that was the good side of the day.

"Ms. Honda where would you like me to set up the camera?" Yuki asked; trying to ensure it remained on the tripod. She looked thoughtful as her azure eyes darted about the forest. She needed the scenery to play a major role in her project and so needed an area where the scenery was lush and beautiful.

"How about we film in the same place as we did before?" She asked, looking up at the red-head. He nodded in agreement and smiled at her. He did not really mind where they filmed as long as they got it underway. There was so much to do and the deadline was next week. The more they got done today the easier the workload would be for the brown haired girl.

"Okay Ms. Honda" Yuki issued, attaching the camera firmly to the base of the tripod and manoeuvring it into a suitable position. Luckily for them they were already in the clearing they used previously so they did not have to carry the camera too far and risk it being damaged.

Tohru inhaled sharply, feeling slightly nervous about being on camera. The one positive thing from this was that Kuma was not here this time, she was still whining like a puppy in the classroom to her comrades. It would only be a matter of time before Haru sent forth his devious plan to keep her away from the red-head forever and it would commence in a few hours.

Yuki adjusted the zoom on the camera, ensuring that the visual quality was at its best and that not too much light affected the overall picture. He had positioned it perfectly so that some of the foliage entered in the right side of the frame and the sun illuminated the area perfectly. It was the best day for filming purposes in his eyes.

"Ms Honda would you and Kurai please stand in front of the camera for a few minutes?"

She turned to the red-head and nodded as they both strolled over to the area Yuki needed them to be positioned in. Kurai, as usual, was far too tall to fit comfortably in the same shot as Tohru. Damn cameras and their lack of wide frame angles. Yuki twisted the zoom and glanced through the lens and then continued this for approximately five minutes. If only Kurai was shorter.

"I think that is perfect" He mused happily, giving a thumb up symbol to Tohru, who beamed happily. At least the camera was sorted and now all they needed to do was begin their acting sequence.

"Which part are we filming?" Kurai asked nervously, looking down at the brown haired girl. Her azure eyes glistened under the sunlight and then she remembered. With a smile she retorted;

"The part when we first meet!" The red-head nodded. He would merely act in the same way he did when he first met her, behave in the same way and speak in the same mysterious tone. How difficult could it be? Yuki took his position behind the camera and waited until they were both ready and pressed the record button. After five seconds he called out;

"Action!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile back in the classroom the three gossiping girls were trying to continue with their own projects. Shanley had decided to do hers about assassins and how they would live in modern day societies. The tutor had insisted it to be personal but due to Shanley's persuasive skills and knowledge on her chosen subject it merely left the tutor reeling in confusion and that was the sole reason she agreed to allow it.<p>

Miru decided to do it based on her own life, up from a child to now and the troubles she faced along the way. The tutor had classed this as a great idea because it was personal and easy to film. It would require a child and Miru herself and that seemed a relatively easy issue.

Kuma however decided to do her project about a music video. She was singing and she was making the video based around her and her band. The tutor had argued this case with her but in the end they came to an understanding and eventually she agreed to allow it.

It seemed as if everyone was happily enjoying their work until the noises from beyond the window deterred Shanley. She looked up from her work and peered outside. Yuki, Kurai and Tohru were there and she could just perceive Kurai and Tohru talking and then she watched as the brown girl started to back away dramatically. They were obviously filming.

"Check out the acting crew out there" Shanley remarked to Kuma, nudging her friend to get her attention.

"I'm not interested-" She whined, remaining sprawled on her desk lazily. Shanley raised an eyebrow and huffed;

"So you constantly irritate me with your whining about Kurai and when I tell you about his acting scenes you tell me you're not interested? What the hell is wrong with you girl?"

At the mention of the red-head Kuma shot up, her brown eyes wide in astonishment. Miru also heard this and raised her head, wanting to let her curiosity get the better of her.

"Kurai is out there?" Kuma asked, her face beaming with joy. Shanley sighed and nodded;

"Yes he is, he is acting with Tohru if you want to watch"

Kuma pouted almost immediately at the mention of Tohru's name. How she hated hearing it, it should have been her that got to act with him; that got to hold him and other extreme sports. Miru whined;

"No way! Kuma you should go out there and sort her out once and for all!"

Kuma turned to her comrade and gave her a stern glance which shushed her pleas and she looked downwards. Miru was always the coward around her hot-headed companion.

"Fighting will never solve anything you nitwit. Kuma just needs to forget about him and try to move on" Shanley remarked, her cold blue eyes glaring into her best friend. It was apparent Kuma hated the idea of trying to forget about the red-head and even though so longed to whine and complain about it and even use physical violence she knew that it was wrong. Shanley always spoke the truth and she knew better than to ignore her words.

"You are right… as usual"

"Exactly, perhaps you could focus your attention on some-one else?" Shanley suggested, trying to make the process of forgetting the red-head easier. She knew that it would be easier said than done and so if she could make Kuma like another boy it may make the process move along swiftly. Kuma shrugged and sprawled out on her desk once more. Miru watched on helplessly, she did not know how to comfort her friend in times of stress, after all, Kuma usually cursed at her for her help.

"But there is no-one else I like-" Kuma whined pathetically, placing her head in her hands. Shanley sighed once again, getting tired of the dramatic acting from her companion. It was times such as these when she should have considered going into performing arts classes.

"Open your eyes and look around. I am sure you will find some-one"

With that out in the open the blonde haired girl returned to her work, trying to concentrate on her project. This left Kuma speechless for some time, trying to think about Shanley's words. Open her eyes and find some-one else? Was that even possible for her? As the lesson progressed and everyone continued busying themselves in their own projects, she continued to think about it thoroughly. Perhaps Shanley spoke a lot of sense and she started to consider it an option, after all, she was merely wasting precious time in swooning over some-one who was obviously not interested in her. She needed to move on, and quickly too.

* * *

><p><strong>Dinner time~<strong>

Tohru breathed a sigh of relief, at last all the filming was completed and now the tutor would be pleased with all her hard work. This meant that now all she would have to do was edit the footage and that would lead up to the end of term nicely. The shots Yuki got on film were beautiful and very professional, he had worked so hard and it all paid off. Now the one thing that was on their minds was filling their empty stomachs with food as they marched onwards towards the food hall.

"We did it! We finished the filming!" Tohru beamed happily, hugging the red-head tightly in joy. He flushed up red in embarrassment as she clung to him like glue.

"Indeed we did Ms. Honda, you and Kurai acted tremendously" Yuki commented, carrying the tripod over his shoulder carefully, giving Tohru a smile.

"Man, I was so nervous-" Kurai mumbled, carrying the bag with the camera in, as his cheeks continued to burn furiously. Tohru snuggled against the red-head before letting him out her grasp and giving him a wide smile. First stop would have to be the classroom to give the equipment back and then they could enjoy a well-deserved lunch to fill their empty stomachs. Tohru happily strode onwards in front of the two boys, delight scarred her countenance. Right now she was extremely jovial and it was all down to Kurai and Yuki for helping her and being there for her.

"You did an excellent job" Yuki said to the red-head, hoping to give him some much needed confidence. He had very little self-belief and always believed that he messed everything up when in actual fact he did the complete opposite.

"Thanks-" He murmured shyly, his hazel eyes looking downwards as they walked steadily towards their destination. Yuki could not help but smile. Ever since he had got to know the cursed half Kitsune they had come to an understanding and almost a friendship. Yuki thought very highly of Kurai, he was kind and considerate and always put Tohru first no matter what the circumstances were. He respected him for that and now would valiantly put his life on the line to ensure that they remained happy and jovial. No one would tear them down or ruin their happiness, he would never allow it.

"Yuki, Kurai, thank you for helping me" Tohru said softly, bowing her head slightly in a manner of respect. Yuki could not help but smile at her actions. She did not need to thank him, it was the least he could. He would always aid her in her problems; after all, he wanted to remain a loyal and trustworthy friend to her.

"It was no problem Ms. Honda; you do not need to thank me" Yuki replied softly. Kurai nodded, also agreeing with his words. The red-head had willingly offered to star in her project so there was no need to be thankful towards him. Tohru smiled happily as they all walked back towards the classroom, ready to put all the equipment back in the proper place and then begin their stroll towards the dinner hall. The delicious food was summoning and hunger was striking into each one of them as they walked onwards, simply enjoying each other's company.

* * *

><p>Dinner commenced as students started to rush into the dinner hall, hastily retrieving their lunches like packs of hungry wolves descending on a carcass. Jiro and Ryuu however had evaded this and had retreated to outside. It was apparent that Jiro believed Akito's words and waited for the ominous stranger to arrive just like he said he would. They stood outside the school gates, watching cars busily drive past them and zoom off down the road, their destinations all unknown.<p>

"I have a bad feeling about this-" Ryuu complained to his comrade, staring up to the sky. It was starting to get dark, the black clouds congealed above them which gave the appearance that it would rain soon and drench every single one of them. It was such a dismal day for all of them. Jiro remained silent; he kept an ever watchful eye on all the vehicles that passed him, perceiving if any of the drivers were that of Akito. His power hungry drive was going to be his downfall, Ryuu could clearly see that and he did not know how to save his best friend. What words could he say to alter things?

"Jiro, please man, consider the options here… I mean..."

"Shut up Ryuu, your voice is annoying me" Jiro returned coldly, giving his friend an evil glance to which he remained silent. Okay, words were no use here, he just had to hope for the best and pray that Jiro saw some sense.

The heavens unleashed their water and it started to hammer down on the boy's head's as they stood out in the rain, waiting for Akito to show up like he promised. It was taking longer than they first thought and the longer they remained out in the heavens downpour the more drenched their bodies become. Jiro seemed unaffected by the apparent dampness and his emotionless blue eyes stared out into the nothingness before him.

"Oh man this rain is horrible, can we go inside now? I don't think he is going to show up-"

"He will be here, just you watch" Jiro muttered to himself, not willing to give up so easily just yet. He had been promised a way to get rid of the redhead and he was willing to take up on the offer. There was no way he was going back now. Ryuu sighed as the rain caused his brown hair to stick to the sides of his face in a matted mess. There was no getting through to him, he had made up his mind and now it did not matter what would occur, he would merely ignore him and focus on his own deluded mind.

As they stood stationary in the rain a large black vehicle neared them, driving up just beside them. Was this Akito? Ryuu remained motionless as Jiro walked calmly up towards the car, not feeling apprehensive at all. He felt confident and powerful for the first time in his life. Ryuu watched as the window rolled down and it revealed none other than the ominous being that was Akito. He was still smiling that wicked smile and it sent a shiver down his spine. Just what did this guy want with Jiro?

"I see you took my advice and turned up. I am glad-" Akito said, smiling at the teen who just nodded confidently.

"Of course I would, you have offered me a way of getting rid of Kurai and I will do it" Jiro said sternly, feeling strongly about this feeling. He hoped that this would be the answer to all his woes. Akito turned around for a few moments and then handed Jiro something. It was wrapped up in red cloth. The boy merely looked at it for a few moments before Akito's demonic voice filled his ears;

"Open it up-" The boy did as instructed and it revealed a small black mechanism, shining under each rain droplet that splashed on its abhorred form. Jiro's cobalt eyes widened in shock at perceiving the instrument of death itself, his hands trembled as it sat comfortably in his palms, calling out for him to use to his advantage. Whilst lost in shock Akito instructed coldly;

"Kill him, that's all you have to do-"

"Kill Kurai?" He muttered weakly, feeling his voice fail him as his hand continued to tremble in fear. He never would have expected it to be this serious, the thought of being classed as a murderer was chilling his bones right down to the core and that evil glint in Akito's dark eyes made this matter worse. The ominous being laughed and then muttered;

"You want to get rid of him right? This will allow you to do just that, don't let me down"

Before Jiro could say anything the window rolled back up and the car started up and soon enough had sped away on it's unknown journey.

The rain continued to hammer down on Jiro's cursed head as the black mechanism remained in his hands, glistening with the rain drops that fell on its form. Ryuu now approached his comrade, every step being a tremendous effort as realisation sunk into each of his bones. Jiro was here, holding a gun and he had been instructed to kill Kurai. The smaller male placed a supportive hand on his friends shoulder and murmured;

"You are not seriously thinking about doing it right? It is crazy! You will get arrested or something!"

Jiro looked down at the object in his hand and then up to the sky. The rain droplets splashing onto his tanned complexion as his emotionless cobalt eyes twinkled. The power was here and he had control over it if he desired. Would he go through with it?

Slowly he turned to his friend, his countenance expressing nothing but a power hungry rage and he started to chuckle quietly. His eyes filled with bloodlust and Ryuu was paralysed with fear. He had never seen this side of his friend before and he loathed it, he hated it, he wished that it would all just disappear and that this was all just a bad dream. It was not a dream, and he knew that. Jiro laughed louder as the rain hammered down harder than before onto his wretched framework;

"That is it, that red-headed freak is mine…. He is MINE!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Oh no! What will happen next? Please review and I'll upload the next chapter as soon as I can. I am engrossed with writing this right now. I hope everyone is on the edge of their seats, wanting to know what will occur next. Thoughts and opinions accepted; thanks a lot!)<strong>_


	26. The Hunter and The Hunted

_**A/N (Hello all! I want to say a massive thank you to all you guys who review at every chapter, I really appreciate it. I like to know if I am writing good stuff here :P Anyway, as you all may know this story is coming to a close and will end in about five more chapters time.) **_

_**The poll has ended, thank you all for your votes and I already know what ending it is going to be. Let's see what surprises may unravel. So anyway, thank you all for your continued loyalty and honesty in the reviews. I am honoured. Finally, may I present you with the next chapter**_

_**Hold onto your hats people, here is the climax! Au revoir!**_

Chapter Twenty Five: The hunter and the hunted

Her sparkling azure eyes depicted every smeared droplet of rain that angrily lashed at the window. Mother Nature was indeed angry and was showing its apparent feelings through the heaven's downpour. It was such a dismal day, the rain adding to the dreary atmosphere. It would be a tedious chore to arrive home in this torrential downpour. Gently her fingertips touched the window pane as the soothing sound of rain just outside offered some much needed comfort. For an unknown reason she felt apprehensive, as if something was trying to tell her about something. She had no clue to what it signified but one thing was for certain, they were all going to be drenched by the time they arrived home.

Tohru and Kurai stood stationary by the window, watching as students outside the safety of the school walls rushed about aimlessly in desperate need of shelter from the pour. All moving silently, their screams and shrieks all merged into unspoken whispers and the watchers heard nothing.

"I hope Yuki arrives soon" Tohru mused to herself as she continued to watch the downpour outside.

"Me too, he will be looking like a drowned rat if he stays out there. Pardon the pun-" Kurai commented, placing his arm around the small girl's shoulder. She shuffled slightly and relaxed against his touch. A dreamy sigh escaped her lips as they both continued to stare at the confusion outside.

Yuki had gone to inform all students that the meeting was going to be cancelled due to this terrible weather and it was to be rescheduled for another time. Not that he minded; he was glad to be able to leave school earlier than he first thought. Only Kurai and Tohru were in the class, the tutor still being away on lunch break and the other students inhabited other classrooms right now. The solitude offered them comfort, which they enjoyed.

"I wonder why the weather is so bad-" Tohru mumbled, snuggling closer to the red-head. He gave a shrug of the shoulders;

"Beats me, I just don't like the thought of going home in it. I hate rain-" That comment somewhat reminded Tohru of Kyo. He hated the rain too and that was probably the sole reason why he had refused to come in today. It was as if he could sense the presence looming overhead before it decided to unleash its fury.

"At least Yuki gets to accompany us home today" She beamed happily, gently resting her head against Kurai as they continued to blissfully stare outside. The rain was not showing any signs of stopping yet, its anger increased as it clawed violently at the glass, still trying to get at the two watchers. Kurai gave a small nod as his hazel eyes narrowed. Something had caught his interest but from this high up he could not see it clearly. As the figures neared the school entrance he depicted it to be the two boys from the class. Surprisingly they were not running to get out of the rain, they were walking calmly. One of them was holding something in cloth and Kurai could just make out a psychotic look in those eyes of his. A cold shiver sent signals down his spine and immediately he tensed up. Tohru noticed this sudden change of behaviour and jolted up too. Her azure eyes quickly scanned his countenance as she struggled to ask;

"Kurai, is something wrong?"

He did not respond for some time. He had no idea to why his body had reacted like that, perhaps it was his instinct running riot again but this time he knew better than to ignore it. It was trying to tell him something and when he looked into her beautiful orbs of blue he knew what he had to do.

"Tohru, can I ask you to do something for me?" She blinked curiously at him for a few moments before murmuring;

"Yes, what is it?" The red-head looked back to the window. Both boys were almost out of sight and that sickening feeling returned to the pit of his stomach. Swallowing hard he faced her again and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I want you to walk home with Yuki today" She did not seem to comprehend the information he foretold and so responded;

"Why Kurai? Is something wrong?"

Quickly he turned around, how could he simply say it was down to instinct? She would not buy that at all. Nevertheless he had to do this; something was compelling him to ensure she stayed safe at all costs because right now, he knew they were not safe.

"Trust me on this one, don't ask any questions, when it is time to go home walk with Yuki"

She looked into his eyes and gave a small nod. Deep within the reasons to why he asked this of her eluded her mind but she knew better than to question his judgement.

"O-okay… but what about you?" He forced a smile, gently rubbing her shoulders to relieve some of the tension that had started to build up inside her frame.

"I'll be fine… I promise…"

As soon as those words escaped his lips the door burst open which caused both of them to turn around quickly. They beheld a panting Yuki, drenched to the skin and looking at them with clouded violet eyes. He had been running; it was apparent. Tohru smiled, at least he was here and he had made it out of the approaching storm.

"Yuki, you're back!" She squealed happily watching as the male attempted to squeeze the water out of his school shirt. He was soaked right through and his hair clung to the sides of his face messily. He gave a weak nod as the panting sequence continued;

"The Principal… informed me to… tell everyone… that school… is over for… the day. The weather… is too severe… to continue… with classes-" He muffled in-between pants. Kurai stole a glance to Tohru, who seemed overjoyed. At least that was a positive note.

"So we get to go home now?" She asked just to make sure what she heard was in fact correct. Yuki nodded;

"Yes… a storm is approaching… and it would be… beneficial if we… all headed home…"

Tohru agreed with Yuki's comment and then she remembered Kurai's words. He was not going to be with her while she walked home, she was to remain with Yuki and she had to trust him on this one. While thinking about the predicament she managed to speak up;

"Yuki, Kurai is not coming home with us today"

The violet eyed boy turned to the red-head. His countenance revealed nothing, no signs of worry or apprehension. It was odd for Kurai to suddenly say he was not coming home with them. Perhaps it was something serious.

"Can I ask why?" Yuki questioned, giving a stern glance to the half Kitsune.

"My instinct is telling me that she should stay with you for now. I don't like to ignore it so I am doing this just to be safe" He answered simply, looking back at the worried brown haired girl. It was apparent she did not understand much of what he just said but it did not matter right now. Her safety was more important and if his instinct was correct then she was definitely not safe with him. Yuki placed a hand to his chin, which was soaked with water.

"Well, if that is the case then that is fine"

Tohru looked back to Yuki, her eyes sparkling in the dimming light. It was obvious that a storm was approaching, the thick black clouds had congealed overhead and the soft humming of thunder could be heard in the distance. Kurai felt a pain begin to conjure in his body, he had no clue to what it meant but he knew that it was continuing in strength and he winced slightly. This was the right thing to do, he needed to make sure she was safe and something was calling out for him to do this act of cruelty. It seemed like it was heartless right now but he knew otherwise, he knew that in the long run it would benefit everyone.

"You better get going before the storm starts-" Kurai choked out, forcing a smile. Tohru turned to him, his face not revealing any of his hidden emotions. He seemed so at ease and happy just how she was accustomed to. With much needed effort she struggled to nod at his comment and looked to Yuki.

"Okay then, we will see you later" Yuki retorted to the red-head. He nodded in response as Tohru walked steadily over to the rat, almost as if she was reluctant to do so. Kurai looked at both of them and kept his façade up, that fake smile scarring his lips as he gave a small wave to them.

"See you around-"

As Tohru left the room Yuki paused. He turned to the red-head and looked at him through narrowed violet eyes. In a quiet voice he muttered;

"Be safe-"

With that the rat left the room with Tohru and the silence started to shroud him. It taunted him and mocked him, attempting to have some kind of effect on him. Slowly the red-head turned back to the window, watching as the rain hammered against the pane vigorously. His heart started to ache and pain conjured around his body as realisation sunk into every bone in his wretched body. Now it was suddenly becoming clear to him, his instinct only ever responded to danger and he knew that he was in danger, as if he were the last of his species, borderline on extinction and the hunter was awaiting him.

_'Please don't hate me Tohru-' _He said mentally, placing a hand to the window as he watched their figures walk onwards out of the school gates. The rain continued to splash down on their majestic figures as they escaped the ominous pit of hell. As his eyes traced the outline of Tohru he felt something wet trickle down his cheeks. The pain increased ten-fold and with his other hand he clutched his chest. Closing his eyes tightly he allowed newly formed tears to escape and find their homes down his cheeks then splash down onto the window ledge. What had he done to deserve this?

* * *

><p>Yuki and Tohru walked ever quicker to their destination as the rain started to drench both of them. The storm was approaching faster and if they did not speed up then they would be caught up in it. Her mass of brown hair matted due to the water in the atmosphere and it started to stick to her face as the wind started to whip up violently.<p>

"This is some severe weather. It is strange, the weather report said nothing about a storm" Yuki commented as they rushed headlong into the winds that clawed at their fragile figures. Tohru squinted as the wind was starting to make her eyes water.

"I know, it is horrible" She retorted, trying to keep up with the violet eyed boy. They needed to get out of the rain and soon too if they were to not catch colds or any other kind of illness.

"I still wonder to why Kurai insisted on staying there, maybe he knows something we don't-" Yuki mused to himself which made Tohru look at him. Her azure eyes widened at his words, did Kurai perhaps do this for another reason?

"What do you mean Yuki?"

"Well Ms. Honda, Kurai would never usually behave like that. Maybe he did this to stop something from happening. He mentioned something about his instincts so I think it could be connected to that"

Those words rung deep within her mind as they continued their crucifying journey through Mother Nature's fury. Kurai did this for a reason? What reason could it be? Even so after hearing Yuki's words it made her heart start to ache, now she was feeling as if something was wrong but she had no idea to what was in-stall for both of them during this testing time. Mother Nature knew of course, she was angry, furious in fact that one of her beloved creatures was soon to be erased altogether and it was all down to greed and power, the power of destroying another innocent being.

**A Hour Later~**

The red-head stared to walk towards his destination, hands in his pockets and with a calm demeanour for once. Maybe his instincts were wrong and nothing bad was going to occur here. It was always a possibility but he was almost positive of them this time. The rain continued to pour down from the heavens as the loud boom of thunder echoed in the distance. The storm was approaching and quickly too. He decided to head home, to see Tohru and apologise for everything. He felt guilty about telling her to walk with Yuki; he made it seem as if she had no choice in the matter. It was too late now, it had been done and now all he hoped for was that she could forgive his actions.

_'I hope she isn't mad at me for what I said, I was so sure that my instincts were right…' _ He thought to himself as he continued to walk calmly onwards, rain hammering down on his cursed head. His once spiked hair was now flattened and sticking messily to his face as the walk started to drain his energy. Was it the rain's fault for his apparent lethargy?

He found himself at the entrance of the wood, the forest that lead to Shigure's house. It would not be long until he could curl up beside a warm fire with his Tohru and everything would be perfect again, just like how he loved it. His reality was started to blur at an incredible pace as lightning lit up the ominous sky and then thunder roared overhead. This was some storm; he had never witnessed a storm as severe as this in all his life. Something had angered Mother Nature and now she was out for revenge.

_ 'This storm is bad, I hope it calms down soon' _ He mused to himself again as he strode onwards, avoiding uneven patches of earth as he continued on his journey. The trees overcast ill-omened shadows on his being as he walked past them, their forms depicting horrific wailing faces in the dim light. This forest was a force to be reckoned with in the epicentre of a storm. He was starting to feel apprehensive and every step drained his energy from him, leaving him a trembling mess. The storm could not be the only cause of this, could it?

_'Why do I feel so weak? Man, I feel as if I am going to pass out right now. No, I must be strong, I must get home-' _He mentally said, trying to find the strength to continue onwards. The storm getting increasingly worse as the lightning lit up his countenance and then the thunder roared immediately afterwards. He was right in the middle of it now, the wind circling his figure and attacking him as he tried to walk towards the house. Mother Nature certainly did not want him to arrive home in one piece it seemed.

He paused when his ears detected movement in the bushes nearby. He turned around to where he heard the sound to see nothing. His hazel eyes scanned the area for signs of life, nothing was heard. It was as if he had imagined it but he knew he hadn't. Again the noise protruded and this time his eyes came into contact with a dark figure. The dim light made it almost impossible to see the intruder. He squinted as he spoke;

"Who is it?" The dark figure neared the red-head, walking stealthily, a small low chuckle emitted from its being.

"I am…"

The being muttered while its form was illuminated by a flash of lightning. Kurai's eyes widened as he witnessed just who this was, it was the boy from class and he was pointing a demonic mechanism his way. The same mechanism used in Tohru dream. He froze, paralysed with fear; this was what his instincts told him. The being continued with his wretched words;

"… Your worst nightmare-"

Instinctively Kurai ran, his legs carrying him as quickly as he could. He knew that the being would follow, that demonic look in his eyes said it all. Hastily he moved past trees and avoided unearthed roots to prevent his being from falling over or tripping up. He was close to the house, only a matter of a few more minutes and he would be there. His safe haven was approaching. Whilst running at an incredible pace Kurai could hear the being's devilish voice fill his ears;

"You can run as long as you like but I will get you, you bastard!"

Kurai swallowed hard as he continued to run towards his destination. He was not going to allow Tohru's dream become a reality, not if he could do anything to help it. The rain continued to hammer downwards as the roar of thunder echoed in his ears. Why was this even happening and how had this boy got a gun? Did Akito put him up to this? That was the only reason he could think of as his form leapt over a large tree root and he continued to speed away. The house was in sight and a wave of relief filled his being. The safety was approaching him and he would be saved.

Jiro followed him, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike the red-head down and fulfil the request. He never would have thought being in control of another being's life would fill him with so much ecstasy. He felt as if he was on some kind of medication that was out of this world, giving him such a high he deemed it impossible to return to Earth. His cobalt eyes ablaze in power kept a lock onto the red-heads fading form. He would evade him if he did not act soon; he needed to stop him from escaping.

"You won't get away! I'll make sure you die, YOU WILL DIE!" He shouted out, laughing evilly after his speech as he followed the red head. The house was in sight and so was red-head. The perfect opportunity was there and without a moment to hesitate he pulled back the trigger and shot...

* * *

><p>Tohru sat in her room, watching the rain just outside her window pane. Where was Kurai? She hoped he would come back soon, she missed having him around. It was lonely without seeing his smile, without hearing his voice and without being in the safety of his arms. She sighed as she adjusted her pyjama top slightly. Her clothes were drenched after returning home so she got into her pyjamas immediately and put her uniform to be washed. It was to prevent her from catching any illnesses or from feeling under the weather. She sighed as she listened to the rain outside. It's noise soothing her troubled soul.<p>

_'I hope Kurai is okay-'_ She said mentally, her azure eyes scanning every droplet that scarred the glass. For an unknown reason she felt as if the sky was merely crying, it was not angry, it was sad and the reason for this sadness eluded her. She was alone in the house, Yuki and Shigure had offered to go to the main house to ensure Akito was okay. He hated storms and they affected his mentality. Tohru offered to watch the house as Kyo was still not home. It was not surprising, he was a cat and he loathed the rain. As she sighed once more she leapt up when she heard a sound, banging sound.

-BANG. BANG-

Her body tensed up as all the fine hairs on her body stood on end, she recognised that sound, and it was a gunshot sound. The exact sound she heard in her dream world and for an unknown reason her eyes started to fill with tears. She placed a hand to her mouth as the only image that came to mind was that of the red-head.

_'Oh no, Kurai is out there!'_

Quickly she stood up, fear consuming her frame. It trembled as she furiously put on her slippers; she needed to inspect the cause for the noise to give her peace of mind. Her mind whirled nauseously with thoughts as she struggled to put on her nightgown.

_'Oh no, what if he is dead? Oh mom, what am I going to do? Please…. It can't be him, please...'_

With that in mind she rushed down the stairs, not caring about the storm outside, right now her mind was clouded with worry about the red-head. She prayed he was safe, that it was not him that got hurt. As her figure hurried to the kitchen she searched for the key. Once her fingers found its form she hastily unlocked the back door and rushed outside.

Her azure eye scanned the surroundings, the dim light not offering her much comfort. She struggled to perceive anything but valiantly she walked forwards into Mother Nature's fury. As she walked out further the rain seemed to almost stop at her intrusion to this scene and the only thing that remained aggressive was the wind, which clawed at her colourless cheeks.

_'I wonder what happened, please let Kurai be okay… if there is a God out there… please' _ She prayed to herself as she furiously looked around. The grass squelched underneath her slippers and she found it easier to focus on the ground to perceive anything. After a few more steps forwards she found a piece of muddy material beside her foot. Slowly she bent down to pick it up and inspected it with wide azure eyes. This was Kurai's jacket and on closer inspection she could vaguely see red splatter marks on the sleeve. Her hands trembled as she continued to search, was this blood?

_'Oh no, please be okay… please…' _ She said mentally, now allowing tears that had formed in her eyes to escape down her face. Her heart panged with hurt as she quietly walked forwards. What if he was hurt? How would she cope with that?

Once again her eyes depicted another piece of discarded material, it was his t-shirt and then she noticed his black pants beside that with his shoes nearby. She stood motionless as the jacket escaped her grip and landed on the floor beside her foot. Putting her hand to her mouth she squealed out in pain as the image of Kurai's fox form lay motionless on the grass. His fur matted with both mud and another substance. The beads he wore were hanging limply around his neck and the fox's dark eyes were closed.

_'Oh no… please… this is not happening…'_ She said to herself as instinctively she rushed towards the frail fox. He was motionless and limp on the wet grass, his fur a matted mess of both blood and mud. Slowly she knelt down, not caring about if her pyjamas got ruined right now. Kurai was hurt and she needed to help him. She outstretched a hand and nervously placed it against his soft fur. Her finger tips moved his body slightly to see where the blood had come from. She could just make out a small bullet wound in his front leg and back leg; luckily it had not hit his chest.

_'Please be okay… I don't want you to die…' _She scurried to grab all of his clothes and placed them into the crook of her arm. Then she gently manoeuvred his weak and fragile form into a position which was good enough for her to lift up with ease. Slowly but surely she picked up the fox and placed it in her arms. She needed to help him but what could she do? Without a moment to lose she rushed back into the house, carrying Kurai in her arms, his eyes still locked off from the world, no-one knowing if he would ever see the light of day again.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN Oh no! Poor Kurai! Reviews pleeeaaasee! Thank you. Do you think he is dead?_**


	27. Someday will be our day

_**A/N (Sorry it's took so long to update. I have been terribly busy with coursework and stuff at college so I only write when I have a chance. I hope everyone is ready for the next part in the Kurai Saga *yeah that's what I am calling it*)**_

_**Who thinks he is going to die or live? Well, this will hopefully clarify a few things. Okay people, sit back, relax and enjoy the show! (Only a few more chapters after this. Perhaps two or three! Please review!)**_

_**~Bekki**_

Chapter 26: Someday will be our day

The flash of lightning lit up the dark room as the dark emotionless eyes of the head Sohma gazed outside. He loathed storms; they made him incredibly angry for an unknown reason. Perhaps it was due to the fact the power of a rising storm dominated his own power and he hated knowing that fact.

Akito was not in solitude however, he had company in the form of both Yuki and Shigure. They both watched the fragile figure tense up when the roar of thunder echoed throughout the room. It was a good job they had decided to visit as right now he was more nervous and apprehensive than ever. Yuki turned his violet eyes to the window, watching as the rain continued to hammer downwards at an incredible pace, looks like going home in this would not be an option even if he did not like the idea of staying at the main Sohma house.

"Are you feeling okay Akito?" Shigure asked causing Yuki to snap out of his trance and look towards the head Sohma. The figure gave a weak nod, obviously he did not want to converse about this. Yuki released a sigh, he was worried about Tohru. She was all on her own in that house and now the storm was getting increasingly worse with every second that passed. He wished he had tried a little harder to ensure she was safe in the house. He also took some precious time to think about the half Kitsune, what if he was trapped out in this deadly storm?

"I am fine, I just hate storms. They irritate me-" Akito commented coldly. Shigure turned to the teenage boy who sat beside him giving him a concerned look. There was obviously more to this than he let on. He had a distinct feeling that something had happened but he could not understand it. He left slightly empty, as if a part of him had been taken cruelly away and maybe Akito felt the same way.

The thunder roared angrily as the lightning flash lit up Akito's demonic countenance. His face altered from emotionless to sad within a few seconds. He never showed emotions if he could prevent it but right now his heart started to ache with guilt and he knew what the cause of this was. Quietly he murmured;

"It's all over…"

"Akito, what do you mean?" Yuki asked curiously, feeling the same distinct sadness that the head Sohma felt. He wondered if Shigure felt it too, the lost feeling, that something was gone from his soul. The fragile figure turned to the two boys and frowned. Yuki was sure he detected that sadness within his being and he wondered what the cause of this was.

"It's all over… he's gone-" Akito informed, his dark eyes concentrating on the floor. Shigure glanced to Yuki and then back to Akito before asking;

"Who is gone? What are you trying to say?" After a few minutes pause Akito raised his demonic eyes once more, they glistened under the dimming light as he forced a smile;

"Kurai, he is dead…" Yuki's eyes widened as the information sunk into his brain. Dead, but how was that even possible? Had Akito hired some-one to do is dirty work? In rage Yuki stood up and raising his voice he cursed;

"What did you DO? Why couldn't you just… LEAVE HIM ALONE?" Shigure watched the raging boy, a pang of hurt rung within his body. No wonder he felt as if something was missing, if he was dead then of course it would signify that. Now his mind thought to Tohru, how would she cope knowing that? It would ruin her, it would kill her completely. Akito looked up at Yuki, he was trembling with rage and sadness and the head Sohma understood. He did not feel angry at Yuki's defiance anymore, he too felt sad.

"I did not do anything… a boy from your class did the deed. I just pushed him in the right direction. I never would have thought he would have killed him, maybe injured him but…" Akito paused, feeling something wet start to escape his dark narrow eyes. What was this feeling? Yuki watched on as the lightning lit up the room once more and then the thunder growled with anger. Was Akito crying? His violet eyes watched as the head Sohma felt remorse for the first time in his cursed life, maybe Kurai was more important to this life than he ever thought.

"You hated Kurai, why are you even feeling sorry for this? You wanted him dead..." Yuki commented coldly, turning away from Akito, feeling as if he too was going to cry. The heart rendering thought of Tohru crying all alone in the house was ripping his soul apart and right now he longed to return home to ensure she was okay. Akito thought about Yuki's words. Yes he hated Kurai but in a way he needed him in his life. Throughout his childhood he had grew up with the cursed boy and now he was not there anymore he actually missed him. When Kurai escaped it more out of jealously and anger that Akito acted the way he did. Kurai was his, no-one else's and maybe that was due to the head Sohma being so lonely, having no-one to love or to be loved in return. Kurai was the only creature who was always there, even if he did torture him. Now he knew that he was dead, he felt his presence leave his heart and carved a deep crevasse into his soul, once again he was alone.

"I did hate him, I hated what he was. He was fortunate enough to be able to live a normal life unlike the rest of us and it annoyed me. He did not transform when hugged and he was not sick as I was. I hated him for that. Even so, I did grow up with him and I watched him start off as a child to an adult. I guess I was jealous and angry when he escaped, he is mine…. no-one else's-" Yuki looked at Shigure who merely shrugged. Every part of the truth was coming out now and they did not want to hear it.

* * *

><p>Her feet pounded the stairs as she hurried to her bedroom. She needed to clean up the wounds so they would not get infected or endanger his life in any way. His small form was so fragile in her arms, it did not even seem as if this was her Kurai, it just seemed like a poor defenceless animal and she needed to help heal it. Once in her room she gently placed the clothes on the chair and then put the fox on her bed, now managing to get a better look at its form. The beads still hung around its neck, falling onto one of her pillow whilst his fur was a combination of both red and brown, blood and mud. She looked at him for a few moments, contemplating her next move. What could she do to help him?<p>

_ 'What shall I do? Oh I should get some water and cloth to clean up the wounds! I have to do something; he might not be dead…'_

With that in mind she hastily left the room to go to the bathroom. With little time to spare she filled up a spare bowl with warm water and retrieved a face cloth from the rack. This would have to suffice as there was no way she could call an ambulance. After all, he was in his fox form and too many questions would be asked. This was the only solution right now. Once the bowl was filled with water she tested the temperature with her hand, it was perfect, not too hot or cold. Placing the cloth on her arm she hoisted the bowl up and walked back towards the fox.

As she pushed the door open her azure eyes widened and she struggled to keep the bowl steady. The water spilled out of its container and splashed onto the ground as her azure eyes could not believe what she saw. Kurai had transformed back to human form but his eyes were still closed. His arm was badly injured along with his left leg. It had been shot and blood was still oozing out of the wounds. She tried to remain composed as she walked towards his naked form. It was difficult given the circumstances but she attempted to nonetheless. Her cheeks flushed up and she tried not to freak out, even if it was challenging. Perhaps he was not dead.

_'OH MY GOD mom, I don't know what to do? He… is naked mom and I am so nervous… I-I… feel like a pervert… but I h-have to help him… I have to…'_

She sat down on the bed and placed the cloth in the bowl, she ensured it was wet enough before she could dab away at the blood smears on his arm and leg, her cheeks still blazing with heat. Once the cloth was wet she nervously reached forwards to dab at the wound on his arm. Gently she removed the blood that stained the skin surrounding the injured area. It was a deep wound and if she did not act right away it would most likely get infected. Her azure eyes kept their gaze on the wound and refused to look elsewhere, it was difficult enough without having distractions leading her astray.

As she dabbed at the wound she felt his body twitch suddenly. In hope her eyes looked at his face which was smeared with mud. Was he waking up? This signalled that he was not dead, he was alive and she felt a wave of relief wash over her. His eyelids were flickering slightly and deep within her heart leapt up, he was okay, jus injured and this could be her chance to help him.

"K-Kurai?" She mumbled softly, continuing to clean up the wound on his arm. Her eyes never left his countenance as once again his eyelids flickered. His body tensed up once more and then eventually his eyes opened to reveal that soft hazel colouring she loved. He looked up at her face and struggled to smile;

"T-Tohru…" He mumbled weakly, his voice hoarse and croaky as he spoke her name. She smiled, water beginning to congeal in her eyes once again. Relief washed through her system as the realisation sunk into her bones. He was not dead, he was alive and she was overjoyed. He reached out with his none-injured arm to gently caress her face, his body throbbing with pain. She closed her eyes as tears started to escape them, trickling down her cheeks.

"I-I thought… y-you were… dead…" She murmured quietly, trying to fight the tears off but to no avail. He kept his eyes focused on her, watching as her face crumpled in his hands and all he saw was a breaking girl.

"I'm… still here…" He uttered with much effort, managing to smile. She nodded against his touch, now placing the cloth down in the bowl and holding his hand against her face. She did not want to let go, the thought of him leaving or dying was killing her inside. Even with all the scars and the imperfections he was still perfect to her and always would be. Nothing could ever change her love for him.

Without thinking she bent forwards and pressed her lips against his, wanting to feel the warmth they offered her. He was alive and she was thankful. They were soft like velvet just how she always knew they would be. Tears continued to trickle down her face as they kissed in the dimming light. Her life would be turned upside down if his existence disappeared from her world, it would be a lonely world, a world where she did not want to exist without him. Even if he was classed as an outcast she was willing to give up everything to be a part of his life. It was her fairy-tale and she just prayed that this time she would get the happy ending.

As they ceased the kiss she immediately looked downwards, her cheeks burning furiously. Kurai coughed abruptly and struggled to move into a sitting position. His arm and leg throbbed with pain as his head pounded. He had suffered a migraine it seemed. As his eyes looked downwards he swallowed hard, only just realising that he was naked.

"Oh crap! I'm so sorry!" He called out in panic, quickly pulling a pillow from the bed to cover him up as best as he could. Tohru let out a small shy giggle; luckily she had turned her gaze away as not to witness anything. It was the least she could do; she was not a pervert in any way.

"It's okay… y-you were injured… a-and transformed…" She stuttered, her head still drooping. Her ears detected a groaning sound emit from the red-head as the apparent pain rushed through his system from his wounds. On appearance it seemed as if the bullets had sunk deep inside and were lodged. Removing them would be tricky without the proper equipment. Whilst keeping her eyes focused downwards she started to think, didn't Hatori leave some first aid supplies here? She hoped that was the case, if it was then there was a possibility she could help.

"Yeah, I transform at will usually but if I am injured it occurs automatically" Kurai mumbled, rubbing at the tender flesh around the wound on his arm. It throbbed with pain and his face crumpled up. His leg throbbed too but the injury was not as severe and the blood was not escaping at an alarming degree like it was on his arm.

"Stay here, I'll get some bandages and tweezers. I hope Hatori left some first-aid stuff" Tohru mused, now looking up at the red-head. He smiled at her, his face smeared with mud and his hair a matted mess and stuck to his face. Even in this apparent messy state he still looked as handsome as usual.

She got to her feet, carefully placing the bowl on the bedside table and hastily left to find something of use for her quest. Bandages, tweezers, cotton wool and anti- septic cream would be good too, if only they had some. She hoped that they did, otherwise the injuries would get worse or even infected.

Once the door closed behind her Kurai grimaced. The pain was unbearable, it was as if the wound was burning through to his bone and every beat his heart uttered sent electric signals to the wound and intensified the pain. He shuffled into a sitting position, keeping the pillow in his lap, covering himself up perfectly. Another thought crossed his mind for a few moments, what if Tohru saw? Did she freak out or get shy? He was not awake to see her expression and those questions whirled around his head.

_'I hope she did not get too embarrassed. I wonder what she thought. I bet she was really shy about it and did not know what to do, it is typical of Tohru. That is probably one of the lovely qualities she has, and the main reason why I love her so much' _ He said mentally, slowly rubbing his arm, careful not to touch at the wounded area. She had seen it all now, the big reveal was pointless and he felt slightly saddened by that thought. When he envisioned his first time of being intimate with the girl he loved he never imagined this scene, for him to get shot and for her to see him naked. It was not what he ever imagined. Whilst lost in thought Tohru's celestial figure re-appeared, smiling at him. She held bandages, tweezers, cotton wool and a bottle of cream. Well, he at least hoped she knew what she was doing.

"Sorry I took so long" She said softly, moving over to sit beside the red-head. He shook his head and chuckled;

"You don't have to apologise for taking a few minutes to get things to help me. After all, I should be saying sorry to you-" Tohru placed the items on the bed and started to unwrap the bandages. Her azure eyes rose to his and she looked at him in bewilderment.

"Why do you need to apologise to me?" The red-head looked away, half in embarrassment and half in disgust. He never intended to make her feel sad or to make her cry yet he had succeeded in doing both.

"I made you cry and worry about me, I should be sorry for that"

"But Kurai it was not your fault!" She protested, reaching out and grabbing his hand. His hazel eyes widened when he looked at her determined countenance. She did not blame him for anything; he had no idea to why that was. Perhaps she was too nice for her own good. He could feel the warmth her hand offered him and it was comforting, he liked it. Right now he was cold but that was most likely due to lack of blood and surprisingly he was not feeling light headed. The curse of the fox spirit had saved him it seemed.

"Tohru I promised I would never upset you and all I do is make you worry and cry-" She squeezed his hand as she shook her head madly. She obviously disagreed with his reasoning.

"No, you don't make me cry. I cry because I love you Kurai… I cry if I think you are going to get hurt or get captured… I don't want to think of that. A life without you is too horrible to think about...I want us to live life… together…" She choked out the last remaining words, feeling tears begin to form again in her beautiful azure eyes. He was making her cry again and he mentally kicked himself. She was so adamant about it all, not blaming him for any of the misfortunates that had occurred in her once carefree life. She loved him and that was all that mattered.

Kurai weakly nodded, not wanting to protest any further and with that Tohru released his hand and picked up the tweezers from her bed. Nervously she adjusted them in her hand and took a deep breath to steady her wavering nerves. She had never done this before and she hoped she was not doing more harm than good.

"Okay… this might hurt a bit… if it does I'm sorry…"

With a steady hand she decided to remove the bullet from his leg first, it was easier and considering the wound was not as severe she believed it would be best to conquer this task first. She edged the tweezers nearer until they barely touched the open wound. The red-head inhaled sharply at the contact but nothing more. She needed to remove the bullet as it would only lead to further problems down the line. With a determined look scarring her features she carefully opened the tweezers and prodded inside the wound, searching for the bullet. The red-head breathed in and out heavily as he tried to remain composed. The pain was bad but not as bad as it was earlier, perhaps it was due to Tohru's presence, she was trying to help him out after all. After a few minutes the tweezers snapped around the head of the bullet and she started to slowly pull it out, Kurai writhing a little uncomfortably.

"I have it, it will be out in a few seconds" She muttered softly, trying to give some comfort to the injured male who merely nodded at her words. He could almost feel it being removed from his body, making him feel slightly nauseous. The whole thought of it made him feel sick to his stomach. Slowly but surely she pulled out the wretched apparatus and placed it on a patch of cotton wool. Next step was to rub some anti-septic cream on a pad of cotton wool and then attach it to the wound and wrap it tightly with bandage. She commenced in doing the task while Kurai just watched. He was amazed at how determined she was to help him, even if she had never done this before her willpower was amazingly powerful.

"Thank you Tohru-" He mumbled, watching as she strapped the cotton wool pad to his leg and wrapped it up in bandage tightly, ensuring that no more blood escaped. She smiled;

"No need to thank me, I wanted to help"

He could not help but smile at her, what had he done to deserve this? She was far too kind and he did not deem himself worthy enough to have her dote on him hand and foot. It was all overwhelming. Once his leg was tightly bandaged up the next task was to remove the bullet from his arm. This would require a steady hand and deep concentration as the wound was considerably deeper and she knew it would hurt him a whole lot more.

"I have to get the bullet out of your arm too-" She mumbled quietly, watching as the red-head glanced to his throbbing arm. He gave a small indecisive shrug of the shoulders, he knew it would hurt but having the wretched object out of his flesh would be beneficial. Tohru took a deep breath as she neared the tweezers to the wound, hoping she would not hurt him too much. She wanted to help him and she knew that by doing this she was aiding him a great deal. The red-head watched on as the small girl started to inspect his wound with the cold apparatus. He inhaled sharply, feeling the foreign visitor in his skin, it was horrible, disgusting and many other words he could not even think of but he knew deep within this needed to be done.

"Thanks-" He said softly, smiling down at the brown haired. He could feel her figure trembling nervously as she tried so hard to ensure she minimalized the damage she caused.

"Its fine" She replied, now finally finding the evil object and snapping the tweezers around it. Kurai breathed deeper, knowing that when it was to be removed it would most likely hurt a lot. She took steady breaths and mentally counted in her head; she was so nervous and hoped that she was doing the right thing.

"Okay, it will all be over in a few minutes" She said, trying to offer some comfort to him. He nodded to her statement, believing her words. Slowly she started to remove the object, carefully watching Kurai's face for changes in his expression. He closed his hazel eyes tightly as he started to writhe uncomfortably. Of course it was understandable; anyone would react like that to having bullets removed from your skin. Carefully she removed the bullet and placed it on another cotton wool pad. Quickly not wasting any precious time she removed a pad of cotton wool, rubbed anti-septic cream over its form and placed it firmly against the wound. She watched as he cringed at the contact.

"Could you please hold it on the wound while I bandage it?" Tohru asked. Kurai nodded and did as instructed. She hastily ripped off the bandage and started to carefully strap it to his arm, applying enough pressure to the wound to cease the bleeding. It would take some time for the wounds to heal but at least with the cream and it being bandaged meant that the process was helped. Kurai watched her antics eagerly, yes his arm throbbed with excruciating pain but as long as she was there then he did not mind. His body could be ripped to pieces as long as she was in his presence. That was the effect she had on his being.

"There, all better" She beamed happily, looking at her craftsmanship. Kurai nodded and smiled too, she tried so hard to help him even though she had no medical knowledge. It was endearing to him, he felt special to her, that she really cared and loved him.

"Thanks…" He muttered shyly, his cheeks starting to burn slightly. She giggled;

"There is no need to thank me; it was the least I could do. I am just glad that you're alive"

The red-head looked away and nodded. He was on the brink of extinction and Tohru saved him from the dark. Deep inside his head a battle raged, a battle to what was the best option. He could not stay here, it was far too dangerous for both of them, and if he left he knew it would break her heart. He did not have the heart to do that, she had affected him too much for him to be so callous. He sighed, which alerted the brown haired girl;

"Kurai, is something wrong?" She said quietly, now placing the equipment on the bedside table. His hazel eyes watched her actions, how could he even tell her what was on his mind? He had no idea to how she would react, but by looking into those crystal orbs of blue he knew that he had to.

"It is not safe here for me…"

Tohru reached out to grab the cloth that was wet in the bowl, ready to dab at Kurai's mud stained face when she paused. Her eyes widened in shock at his comment. What was he saying?

"W-what do you mean?" Again he sighed and turned away, he could not bear to look at her, to see how her face would alter.

"I think that… I should leave this place"

Her countenance appeared crestfallen at his words. That meant he would live a life without her and she refused to allow that. He was far too important to her and nothing would ever tear them apart. She shook her head madly, trying to fight tears that were battling to surface in her eyes.

"If you go… I'm going too"

This was a shock to the half Kitsune, to even think that she would want to go with him wherever his destination would be made his heart leap up. A part of him earnestly desired for her to stay at home and to be safe yet the other part longed for her to accompany him. He looked at her face. She was determined and it did not matter what he said she would not listen. He smiled;

"If you're sure about that-"

"Of course! If you are leaving then so am I!" She said confidently, now reaching out to gently dab at his mud stained face. She was so stubborn; this behavioural trait must have been conjured up by his presence. When he first met Tohru she was quiet and shy and would not behave confidently. It was a nice change to witness. He felt the cloth's wet form rub against his skin, removing the mud from his tanned complexion.

"Okay then, don't say I did not warn you then" He retorted playfully, giving her a wink. She giggled as she continued to focus on cleaning up the half Kitsune's face. Deep within she was happy enough that he was alive and still here with her. As long as he was here then they could face any problems they had together.

"It is fine, I don't mind-" Tohru mumbled shyly, turning back to dab the cloth back into the bowl of water, that stood on her table.

"We will leave at 12pm tomorrow then, by the tree where you originally met me-"

She nodded seemingly understanding the plan of action. While she continued to gently dab at his face she started to think, what would Yuki make of this? Would he hate her for her decision? She hoped not, she hoped he would be supportive of it. If she left with Kurai she would miss everyone, her friends, her adopted family, everyone. They would all merely be distant memories that would fade given time. As hard as that idea was to comprehend she knew it was true, she knew that time would erase all the memories eventually and it would be up to her to make new ones.

* * *

><p><strong>(AN Sorry for taking so long to update, I have been terribly busy! D: The next chapter will definitely contain a lemon so look forward to it guys! Reviews please)**


	28. Passion Like Fire

_**A/N (Alas, it is nearing the end and only two more chapters to go! :'( How I will miss this story and of course my little Kurai. I hope that everyone has enjoyed the journey with me and when I finish the fic please review on it overall. It would really make me sooo happy!)**_

_**Enough chitchat, now, I may I present you with the next exciting instalment for all you die-hard fans out there. There is a non-graphic lemon in this chapter, mainly concentrates on inner feelings. Au revoir~**_

Chapter 27: Passion Like Fire

A pair of familiar yet emotionless amber eyes gazed at the wall in disinterest. He believed that being here with his master would somehow ease the yearning in his heart and quell his suffering. Much to his disappointment it had not, in fact right now he was suffering far greater than he ever anticipated. He sighed heavily as thoughts whirled around his deluded brain. He tried many times to convince his foolish being that he did not care about Tohru's relationship with Kurai, that he could cope with it and move on. The truth was that he could not and the realisation was just sinking in.

"Kyo-" Came a soft yet hoarse voice. The orange haired boy swiftly turned his attention to the voice to see his master's kind smiling face look at him. His eyes portraying the utmost kindness and sincerity to which he believed he did not deserve right now.

"Yeah, what?" He responded, colder than he intended. His master eased himself towards an empty chair, holding a tray. On appearance it looked as if he had attempted cooking once more. Kyo knew that his master's cooking was always a recipe for disaster and he merely watched as the figure neared him.

"You told me the reason for you coming here was to see me and to spend more time with me, but, ever since you have been here all you have done is sulk. Is there something on your mind?" Kyo turned his eyes away as his master sat down and placed the tray on the table. He did not wish to converse on his problems, he would have preferred to ignore their existence and sweep them all under the metaphoric carpet in his head. It would be the better option in the long run.

"It's nothing-" He grumbled.

"Now Kyo, I know when there is something bothering you. You fail to realise I did bring you up from a small age so I do know when you're lying-" His master's voice filled his ears to which he mentally flinched. This sensation that filled his body was foreign to him and it was all Kurai's doing. Ever since he had appeared Kyo's life had gone from bad to worse. He had no consideration to how he felt about Tohru and just stole her heart like some sort of phantom thief. It was wrong and he was struggling to accept it. He sighed heavily;

"It's just personal stuff, I don't wanna talk about it-" The master nodded and sipped his tea carefully, his narrowed eyes concentrating on the suffering boy. Why would he refrain from letting anyone see his vulnerable side? Maybe he was afraid, afraid to admit to himself the real reasons for his torment.

"Okay, but if you choose to fight this alone then you have to be mature enough to deal with it instead of taking the coward's way out and running away" Kyo momentarily looked across to his master, his face portraying the kindness he was so accustomed to seeing. He was always there for him, no matter what problems occurred, he always stuck by him. Kyo gave a weak nod; perhaps dealing with this in solitude would help. His master pushed a bowl of noodles across the wooden table to the orange haired boy. Eating something substantial may make things clearer in his deluded mind. Gratefully he accepted the food and started to slowly eat the contents within the bowl. The master watched the boy, at how he hungrily ate the food he had prepared even though he had once scrutinized his culinary skills. Right now that did not matter.

"Is the issue to do with an outsider or a member of the family?" He pursued, looking at the orange haired boy. Kyo looked up quickly, completely off guard. His face transformed into a scowl as he turned away in haste once again;

"I guess it's family-" He mumbled, refusing to make eye contact.

"I see, Shigure did call me and he told me about a newcomer at his house. I believe the reason to why you are so furious may be connected to him" Kyo slammed his cutlery down on the table in anger. It was apparent that conversing about this was stressing for the boy but his master knew it would be better to get this out in the open than to ignore it.

"So what if it is, it doesn't matter now" Kyo grumbled to himself, refusing to eat anymore. His master paused also and sighed, watching the boy's body language intently. Why had it got so bad? Kyo never usually got so riled up unless it involved Yuki, but this time it was connected to some-one other than Yuki and it completely puzzled him. He placed a hand to his chin in thought as he carefully monitored Kyo's body trembling in rage. He needed to lash out at something.

"Kyo, it does matter. That is why you are behaving like you are. I wasn't born yesterday you know. I am always here for you and if you have things worrying you then please share them with me. I may be able to offer some advice" Kyo's amber eyes diverted their evil gaze to his master's sincere face and his features softened. Of course he was right, his master was only trying to help him but he needed something more than just help. It was a pain no-one could heal; it was beyond repair in his eyes. With a heavy sigh Kyo decided it would be beneficial if he foretold some of the events.

"He pisses me off. He simply arrives in the house and steals Tohru's heart and doesn't have any consideration for my feelings or anyone else's for that matter. I can't stand to be near him-" The master nodded, seemingly understanding his problem.

"Ah, I see. The problem you have here is that you are jealous of this boy" Kyo huffed, refusing to believe he was jealous of that wretched half Kitsune. He shook his head defiantly;

"There is no way in hell I am jealous of that damn fox!" He cursed. His master's eyes widened at his remark. Fox, that seemed to ring a bell in his mind. Was this the outsider who Akito had locked up as prisoner? Slowly he rested his hand on the table, watching at how Kyo seemed to ease up while he spoke out about his true feelings.

"Well, you certainly have issues connected to him. I know you dislike him but is it only because he is with Tohru? Have you ever tried to get along with him and see how things work out?" Kyo huffed again, turning away from his master. How could even suggest that, it was impossible. Here was no way that he would ever associate with him, even if hell froze over.

"You gotta be kidding me! I'd rather associate with Yuki than him!" Kyo spat angrily. His master nodded, ignoring his angry tone of voice. It did not matter, he was speaking and that was a good thing.

"Kyo, listen to me. From what I have heard the fox boy does not have long left until Akito gets to him and there will be a time when Tohru will need you once again. If you care about her like you say you do then be there for her when she needs you the most" Kyo slowly looked up to his master, his face showed how deadly serious he was about his comment. Kurai had limited time left to be with Tohru? Would there be a time when she would need him again? He coughed uneasily and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"She won't ever need me, I'm not good enough"

"Kyo stop putting yourself down, Tohru has always needed you in her life and I am sure that all this fighting is upsetting for her. Maybe you could speak with her and tell her about how you feel. Knowing Tohru she is probably completely oblivious to how this is affecting you" Kyo thought, maybe he was right. If he just tried a little harder to be less selfish and be there for her when Kurai would not be perhaps there was still a chance for happiness. With that in mind he forced a smile and nodded;

"Okay, I'll try-"

* * *

><p>The rain continued to lash at the window as she gazed at the scenery outside. Her azure eyes sparkled, watching as occasionally a flash of lightning would illuminate the ominous sky and then the low growl of thunder would soon follow. This storm was not going to end anytime soon. Tohru released a sigh and turned to look at her bed. Kurai had decided it would be in everyone's best interest if he got cleaned up and thus went to have a shower. She did not mind the solitude but with solitude came the dreaded disease of an over active mind which conjured up irrational thoughts. She wondered if Akito actually shot Kurai himself or if he hired some-one to do his dirty work for him.<p>

'_I am so pleased that he is not dead. If he was… I don't know how I would cope-' _

Again she turned her attention to the window which was smeared with rain droplets that longed for entrance into her abode. In this deafening silence she wondered to herself. Something deep within the pits of her stomach echoed a fear, a fear so great that it would consume her if she succumbed to it. The fear of him leaving her life for good. She did not want that, even if they had not been together for that long she knew within her heart that he was the only one who would heal her heart and make it melt in the manner she loved. He had this strange effect on her system and it even made her act totally out of character. When she was with Kurai she felt the urge to do things she never even dreamt of. It was weird to her but it did not deter her away from him.

"Daydreaming again?" came a soft voice which made her quickly turn around. It was Kurai, scrubbing his wet hair with a towel and he had a cheeky grin scarring those beautiful features. Tohru shyly looked downwards, it seemed plausible that he was aware of her daydreaming antics; after all, she read about Kitsune's being able to get into people's minds.

"I was just thinking-" she mumbled quietly. Kurai nodded, trying to dry his hair off as much as he could with the towel. He had only just gotten out the shower as another towel was the only thing that protected him from her curious eyes. She cursed herself; this was so unlike her, why was her mind acting so out of character?

"Thinking about what?" Kurai pursued, smiling at the nervous girl who stood a few metres away from him. It was somewhat endearing to witness, to see her so bashful once again signalled that she was thinking of things that perhaps she never used to. Slowly tapping her fingers together she mustered the courage to choke out her words;

"T-thinking about… y-you…" Slowly she raised her azure eyes to see that he had stopped drying his hair and now he just stared at her. His hair was not straight as she was accustomed to, due to the water it was now slightly curly and it clung messily to his face. Now she noticed how his skin shimmered with water droplets under the dim light and she quickly turned away again, her cheeks burning furiously. He chuckled at her actions, knowing the reason for her apparent bashful behaviour;

"Tohru there is no need to be so shy about it. It's not like you haven't seen me…" He coughed abruptly "…naked before-" All the hairs on her arms and neck stood on edge as those words escaped his lips. It was true, but she had the decency to turn away when that happened. Ever since that incident it was as if something had awakened deep inside, burning like fire and getting evermore stronger with every second that he remained in her presence.

"I-I… know..." She muttered slowly, refusing to make eye contact with the red-head. She knew if she did then the feelings deep within would re-surface and she was apprehensive of them. What would it lead to? Something far more serious to what she was ever used to and her own worries prevented her curiosities from being released.

"Hey Tohru…" Kurai's voice entered her ears and then she felt his hand latch onto hers, filling her being with his warmth. She felt his heat and with that turned to look into his chocolate eyes, which melted her heart with every second that passed.

"Yes?" She asked nervously, feeling her own hand clam up with sweat as he gently held it, as if she were made of glass.

"You are still serious about running away with me?" He raised an eyebrow at the girl, trying to detect if she were being truthful or not. It was stupid of him to even think of her being deceitful, whenever he looked into her orbs of blue he knew that the only words that escaped her lips were nothing but sincere. She nodded quickly, slowly gripping his hand a little tighter.

"Of course, you mean too much to me for you just to leave my life-" She forced a smile and he returned it with a genuine replica. He loved to see her happy, it made his heart do somersaults and he felt slightly nauseous. As the moonlight began to flood into her room she noticed how strangely romantic the setting had altered to. The moonlight have given this scene a whole new look and she liked it, it was perfect and for an unknown reason she wished that he would just cuddle her tightly just like he usually did.

"Well… I just wanted to make sure because when we leave there is no going back, you know that right?" Again she nodded, smiling at the red-head and squeezing his hand tighter. He chuckled nervously and felt his cheeks begin to burn under his ice cold skin. The water from the shower had cooled down his body temperature and now the blush that scarred his cheeks burned furiously and he knew of it this time.

"I know that-" She replied, looking up at his face, still wearing that smile he loved. He wondered deep within why he felt guilty, why he did not think it right for her to accompany him. Maybe that was the good guy in him, the selfless guy that longed for her to live a normal life whereas the selfish side wanted her all to himself. With those thoughts in mind he slowly approached her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his bare chest that still glistened with water droplets. Her cheeks ignited and started to flare up violently as she could hear every beat his heart echoed throughout his body. It was soothing, like a lullaby to a child and she could not help but close her eyes and smile.

"I really love you Tohru-" He muttered, nuzzling into her soft locks of brown hair. Her smile stretched wider across her face as she continued to hold him in a loving embrace, whispering the words;

"I love you too-"

While she held him tightly she felt his heart begin to beat irregularly, a lot faster than usual, as if he had been running for some time. This immediately made her look upwards at him. He did not seem out of breath, just normal and she just wondered if it was her imagination. While lost in his eyes she could not control herself from reaching up and gently pressing her lips to his, feeling the distinct warmth that connected them. Inhaling quickly she felt her own heart speed up inside her chest and another feeling appeared. It was something new, something dangerous and she started to feel slightly odd.

_'I feel strange… is this normal?' _ She said to herself mentally while she kissed the red-head, every second causing her heart to continue to beat faster. Slowly she felt his tongue begin to move against her bottom lip and again she inhaled sharply. It was odd, she had never reacted so nervy about a kiss before so why now? Maybe it had some connotation with the moonlight and the dimming light. With that pushed to the back of her mind for now she decided to allow him entrance and carefully parted her lips and felt as his tongue gently explored her mouth with a tenderness she had never experienced before. This kiss was so different to the others, so passionate and intense and the feelings just kept emerging. Her tongue nervously embraced his as the kiss reached a fever pitch. As soon as her tongue connected to his it was as if a green light has been signalled and everything seemed to spiral out of control. She felt his hands gently slide down to her hips and pull her roughly against him as they kissed with a fiery passion that ignited furiously between them.

_ 'Kurai… he is acting different. I don't think it is a bad different… just a weird different…' _She mentally made note of his ever-changing behavioural patterns as her body was pulled against his, completely melding both bodies together as they kissed under the moonshine that lit up the room. Her feet were moving on their own as she found herself being pulled forwards, Kurai was pulling her in his direction and that direction just so happened to be her bed. Hang on, was this really happening? Closing her eyes tightly she felt an odd sensation boil in the pit of her stomach and certain areas of her body unbeknownst to her started to act on their own free will. She felt strange and she was apprehensive of these new feelings. While her feet clumsily treaded forwards, trying to avoid stepping on his own she tried to fill her lungs with enough oxygen as their mouths refused to cease their connection and their tongues refused to depart from each other. With one final pull he managed to make her unsteady on her feet and her body went plunging in his general direction, causing both of them to fall on her bed in an untidy heap of sweat and limbs.

"Owwww-" He groaned, rubbing his head as he hit it off her headboard. She could not help but giggle and snuggled up against him shyly. This situation was getting very heated very quickly and she did not know deep down if she was ready for any of this. It was odd, something inside told her that no matter what this was right, being with him in this way was just part of fate's way and with that in mind she tried to relax as much as possible. Her head was lifted up by his fingertips as he looked into her eyes, trying to decipher what her feelings were right now. Her azure eyes clouded with passion and her breathing irregular, it was obvious to how she was feeling right now.

"I am sorry, I guess I got carried away-" He mumbled nervously, smiling to hide some of his embarrassment. She shook her head in defiance;

"Oh no don't apologise! Its fine, I was just… shocked-" Whilst getting lost in his eyes she knew what his intentions were, they were clearly seen. Even if his disposition was usually of a nervous sort she knew that right now the atmosphere between them was heated to such a degree it was impossible to control. Kurai gently pressed his lips against Tohru's once again, holding her snugly against him while he recovered from the onslaught of hitting his head off the headboard. Her lips intoxicated him entirely, their warmth and velvet touch left him spiralling out of control and soon enough his hands began to wonder to untouched ground. Without giving it a second thought they started to trial down her back and down to her rear. Deep within he prayed she was okay with this; the last thing he wanted was to scare her away with his advances.

_'Well... she isn't making any attempt to stop me so I guess she is okay with this-' _Kurai said to himself mentally as he felt her own small hands pull his body closer. She had been unusually quiet as of late and he wondered if it was just down to nerves. Tohru was after all a very bashful girl when it came down to it and to be exploring intimate feelings at such an early date must have been difficult for her to deal with. However, right now he knew that this was the perfect time to be bonded with the girl he loved; he knew his time was limited and this was probably the only chance he would get to actually show her how much he truly loved her. While gently pressing his tongue against her closed lips he tried to gain entrance into her mouth. She complied without uttering any words and soon enough their tongues merged together whilst their hands uncontrollably explored each other's bodies in the sheer attempt to discover hidden depths and locations that filled each of them with an ecstasy more powerful than anything they had ever felt. Slowly Kurai managed to manoeuvre his body so he was over the top of the trembling girl, their lips never ceasing their bond. This moment was too perfect for it to end and he knew that.

* * *

><p>A grunt escaped his lips as feelings started to emerge that he had never felt before, feelings that consumed his being and made him almost uncontrollable but he tried his utmost to retain them. After all, Tohru was a bashful girl and if he started raging out of control it would only alarm her and then the moment would be ruined. Deciding to explore and to see just how far Tohru would allow him to go he slowly began sucking on her tongue softly as they kissed. It was all down to instinct and he followed it intently, hoping everything he was doing was okay and by the soft feminine sounds that she created signalled that he was doing everything fine. He could feel her small fragile hands hook onto his towel which was situated perfectly around his hips. Kurai moved so his legs were either side of her fragile body into a kneeling position as he broke away from the kiss, he could feel every tremble that surged throughout her veins. Her eyes gazing directly into his, wanting answers for his actions yet she found none but she was reclined to not asking any questions.<p>

Kurai moved his soft hands to tenderly caress her face which was like delicate porcelain as he slowly moved his lips to hers once again, gently fleeting across them. He felt the warmth and the distinct addiction that would occur if he were to kiss them again and what feelings were sure to boil in the pit of his stomach;

"I don't deserve you" He whispered as his lips continued to tease against hers, not quite touching but the heat clearly felt. Her own lips were parted as she longed to kiss him, she longed for him in every way possible as they both lay on the bed while the moonlight from the window provided the only light.

"You deserve everything-" Tohru mumbled back, as her hands explored his spine, feeling how solid it was under her fingertips. Their lips were almost touching in the heat of the moment, teasing and becoming ever more addicting. She was beginning to get courageous in her actions and so she gently allowed her soft and gentle tongue to flicker across Kurai's lips, attempting to entice him. She was aware of that he was struggling as his lips neared her own and she could almost taste his breathe on her face.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" He asked in a soft voice, which was hushed by her tantalising tongue which now entered his mouth to explore and excite his senses. That question was answered without words. He allowed his own to greet hers as they entwined together in passion.

Whilst lost in the addicting kiss Kurai allowed his solid body to come closer to Tohru's so they were in perfect contact making her heart thunder inside her with excitement. She had no idea how romantic he could be but this seemed like an amazing dream, too good to be real but the thing was it was indeed real and she loved it. The effects of the kiss were clearly felt against her as he slowly rubbed his body against hers. Groaning quietly he whispered,

"I'm sorry Tohru, I just love you so much-" Softly his fingertips caressed her face and slowly moved to her neck, making her eyes close as her breathing became heavy. Without warning Kurai neared his mouth to her fragile neck and allowed his lips to brush against her soft skin and his mischievous tongue gently flickering across the sensitive area. Her skin tingled at his touch and excited her being. Carefully he began to nibble at the tender flesh, just enough to stimulate her not enough to injure her. The love that emitted from both of them could clearly be felt throughout the room, it was extremely intense.

"I love you too-" Tohru mumbled, whilst breathing heavier than usual. The exhilarating feeling that he gave her made her body shudder in delight. She had never felt like this in all her years. He ceased in his actions and smiled. She swallowed hard as the moonlight shone on his body, illuminating everything. Her eyes flickered across his body in pleasure. His large muscular arms either side of her, his washboard stomach which was clearly defined due to all the training he did, his broad tanned shoulders, the way his body moved in the moonlight made her addicted and now she could not shake the addiction. She raised one tentative hand to dance her fingertips across the ridges in his stomach which were hard yet warm and smooth. He eyed her every movement as he enjoyed the sensation her touch gave him. Tohru had of course noticed and she felt her cheeks flush crimson which were not detected in the moonlight.

"You're so perfect" She muttered, whilst her eyes flickered across his body, his masculine face, his heart warming smile. He appeared to be slightly embarrassed at the comment and replied,

"Don't be silly, you're the perfect one, you always have been" She now felt complete, she felt like her purpose was starting in this world. He loved her and she loved him and now nothing could tear them apart. She watched as his hands traced the outlines of her body, small and slim yet it did not deter him. They explored their way to her waist and gently manoeuvred her body into a more favourable position. She felt powerless but she did not panic, she enjoyed the sensation. She was with the man she loved so nothing was wrong. His index fingers gently clawed across the flimsy material that concealed her addiction to him. Whilst his fingertips explored he allowed his lips to find the safety of hers and they touched softly. He seductively nibbled on her bottom lip as his hands traced the material gently, feeling the lace beneath his touch. Her own arms embraced the man she loved and pressed his body closer to hers and the kiss was made complete, his lips completely pressed against hers. Whilst kissing his hands continued their way down her body, making her skin tingle.

The kiss ceased and Kurai's lips moved away from hers and settled just above. His hazel eyes scanned her intently with love and devotion.

"Are you okay with this? I mean, I don't want to make you uncomfortable or pressurise you-" Moving her head swiftly forward she allowed her lips to gently brush against his as she replied,

"Don't be silly, you're not doing anything wrong, it's fine" He could feel the warmth of her breath on his face as her lips teased his own. It was torture to him to try to resist the urge that resided within which was to now show her how much he did in fact love her. She allowed her head to rest back down on the soft pillow as her eyes sparkled in the moonlight, this truly was amazing. Kurai gently took hold of her wrists and held them down onto the bed to show the fact he was in control of the situation. Her breathing turned heavy and her heart raced within her chest as she felt his lips caress her neck once again.

"You're just amazing-" She muttered to the man of her dreams who was still engrossed in his actions, his tongue playfully teased the nerves in her sensitive neck and his lips gently brushed against the fragile skin. His hands released her wrists and they caressed her body softly, feeling the curves underneath his touch made him tremble slightly.

"You're the amazing one, you always have been. I never want to lose you Tohru-" He added in as his lips moved lower down her body, his touch fleeting, as if it did not even occur yet the feeling was immense. The temptation was overwhelming and she was truly addicted to this man.

He was very exposed, only a towel concealing his treasure from her eyes, yet it felt perfect, it felt right. Tohru could not believe that Kurai, the man of her dreams was here with her in this way. It seemed so un-real. She instinctively bit her lip in apprehension, she was nervous yet excited at the same time at the scene that would unfold. Another kiss commenced and their tongues entwined lovingly as their bodies grew closer and more intimate. The way his body moved in the moonlight was divine and passion flooded her system. The feeling was immense, so immense that nothing could compare to this precious moment in her life

"You're just amazing you know-" He muttered as the kiss ceased. Tohru's eyes sparkled as she mumbled the selfish words,

"Don't ever leave me please!" Her hands held onto his tightly, quickly intertwining their fingertips.

"I won't" He promised. The scene unfolded further to which the moon shining into the room was the only company they shared their passion with. Both were soon entirely exposed to each other, and they remained lost in each other completely. It was a night they would treasure for eternity and it would never be forgotten.

Hours passed as the night took hold of the heavens and the moon and stars were the only watchers, the soft cries of love were clearly heard throughout the room but it did not matter, not to them. The only thing that mattered was their precious love they shared and each other. It was now or never as they both were aware of the little time they both had with each other and were determined to make it memorable. Her eyes sparkled as she gently embraced Kurai who was exhausted and collapsed on top of her. His hair drooped due to the sweat and his eyes raised their hazel sparkle to hers. They both realised that they had claimed each other in every way possible.

"I love you so much-" she whispered, gently stroking his hair affectionately. She waited to hear the response which in turn was a distinct,

"I love you too" Sighing she held him close to her as they embraced tenderly, bodies entwined. A cool breeze from the open window soothed their steaming bodies as they settled down in the bed in a loving embrace. A single word was uttered from Kurai's lips as he allowed himself to be taken over by a slumber,

"-Forever"

* * *

><p><em>(AN FINALLY! Lol I made it non-graphic because I don't really like writing porn lol :D Sorry for the late update! xDDD Review please!)_


	29. Without you

_(It's taken AGEEEESSS I know, I am sorry but finally I managed to finish this story. This is the last chapter, yes I know I said there would be two but I did not need the other one._

_I hope you will read this and still comment on it and I really hope everyone enjoyed this story. I would love to know if you got emotional when reading this, I sure did when I wrote it._

_Anyway, I present you with the last instalment. Goodbye Kurai and farewell all!)_

_Chapter 28: Without you_

_A cool yet gentle breeze tousled her hair as she was consumed by a peaceful slumber. This was just like heaven to her, this was the perfection she had always wanted and now it was hers. She could almost literally hold it in her hands and make it hers for an eternity. Kurai, he was the man she loved with all her heart and her dream world was filled with nothing but sunshine and colour. As her beautiful azure eyes flickered slightly she perceived the glistening reflection of the sun's large orb in the lake nearby. A quiet groan escaped her lips as she slowly rubbed her eyes with her hand. Dreams, this was a place where she could also be with Kurai even when she was not awake. He was always here, without fail. Always there to make her smile, to make her heart melt like deep rich chocolate under the burning heat he emitted. _

_ Tohru struggled to manoeuvre into a sitting position as her orbs of blue darted about the landscape. It was a beautiful field, full of fresh daises and daffodils, all swaying in the gentle breeze that teased them playfully. The warmth the sun radiated heated up her pale skin and gave her a tingling sensation all throughout her being and her eyes continued to scan the surroundings, subconsciously looking for her man. She continued looking for some time as she heard the soft melodies of birds overhead and felt the cool refreshing breeze. This was just so perfect but right now loneliness was starting to seep into her bones. Where was Kurai? Why was he not here?_

_ "Kurai, are you here?" Tohru called out, hoping that by calling for him he would appear just like he usually did. She knew that he was beside her in the bed as they had spent the night together yet why was he absent from her dream-scape? Feeling slightly troubled and very alone she turned her gaze to the grass and started to pull out flowers. What made him not want to come and be here with her? As time lingered on and her dream world started to darken with the setting sun she curled up on the grass and sighed. Her eyes narrowed as still he did not arrive, she waited so long and his figure still evaded her._

_ 'Why... why have you not come to me... Kurai?' she mentally said to herself, feeling her heart begin to get heavier as every second passed. Her hand subconsciously clutched at her chest and rested it there where her heart resided, feeling it beat uneasily. It needed him, it wanted him here because without him a part of her was missing and even if this was only a dream it still mattered to her. Closing her eyes she felt herself begin to get more distressed as the breeze tousled her hair softly. She allowed newly formed tears escape her eyes and make tracks down her perfect face. She was so lost without him, her hands felt empty without holding his, her heart felt heavy when he was not around and as the dream-scape started to dissipate the only sounds that lulled her out of the dream were the sounds of her own soft cries._

* * *

><p>The sunlight gently stirred her from her slumber as it shone on her face, lighting up how perfect it was. It shimmered under the golden rays as the tears that she shed in her dreams scarred her cheeks and her hands clutched the pillow tightly. Her subconscious was troubled and needed comfort and it found that needed comfort from the pillow. Her brow crinkled as her eyes flickered open, their azure colouring sparkling in the sunlight. As her gaze adjusted to the light in the room she felt an emptiness deep within and her heart still felt heavy. Closing her eyes tightly, desperately clinging onto hope she stretched out her leg, hoping to feel his warmth nearby, that he was still here. That warmth evaded her, it was not here and she clutched the pillow harder. She knew that Kurai would not just not visit her dream world unless he was not around to do so and that was the case. Slowly and reluctantly she twisted in her bed, turning over to face the spot where he resided last night. It was empty yet she still saw the creases in the pillow where he had been.<p>

_'Oh... Kurai...' _She mentally whimpered as she reached out her hand to his side of the bed and slowly stroked the creases of where his body once lay. He had left without her after a night that was so perfect and now everything was crashing around her. The only thing she felt was sadness and sorrow and so buried her head in the pillow, allowing her tears to be the only comfort to her. She loved him with all her being and without even saying goodbye he had just left. How would she be able to cope without seeing his beautiful face, that gorgeous smile, to feel his strong arms around her. Now she knew what it was like to feel so alone, so afraid, so lost.

A sudden knock at the door made her leap up in fright and clutch the bed covers tightly to her body. Her eyes sparkling with fresh tears that longed to escape to find safety down her cheeks as her heart emitted a pain she had never felt before.

"Ms. Honda, are you alright?" It was Yuki, Yuki's soft serene voice. As his voice entered her ears she closed her eyes and continued to cry into her hands, holding the bed sheets tightly in a sheer attempt to offer some form of comfort. While sorrow consumed her fragile form the knocking continued;

"Ms. Honda, are you awake? Please answer me, I am worried" Tohru tried her utmost to calm down her cries and furiously wiped her face. She did not want to worry anyone or trouble anyone so with a small voice she muttered;

"Yes... I'm alright"

"May I come in, I have something to tell you" She wiped her face continually, trying to get rid of the signs of sorrow that scarred her face. If Yuki knew she had been crying he would only fret over her and she did not want that. She wanted him to be happy with his own life and not to stress over her. Eventually after some time she called out;

"Yes, of course"

Her eyes watched as the tall slim figure of Yuki entered her abode and he smiled at her. It was a nervous smile, not the same as she was used to. Did he perhaps know something. Slowly she pulled the covers of the bed closer as she watched him sit down at the edge of her bed, looking at her intently. He could tell how she felt, she was afraid, upset and lost and he hoped that perhaps he could offer her a solution.

"Tohru... I have something for you" Yuki's dark sincere eyes befell on the crushed girl as she looked away, a mere shadow of her former self. She could not even muster the courage to speak in case her voice failed her completely and she broke down once more. He placed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small package.

"It is addressed to you" he responded as her glistening eyes gazed at the small present he held in his hand. As her hands nervously reached out to the package she felt her heart sink and get evermore heavier with each breath. She knew deep within she would never see him again, he never intended on taking her with him when he left. Was it because she was a burden? As those thoughts raced through her head she felt herself begin to get more upset and she longed to cry and be comforted. To show the world she was not okay, that she was in fact hurt and needed someone to lean on, someone to be there for her.

Slowly she opened the packaging and it revealed a letter which was also addressed to her. She clutched it tightly, her heart told her this was off Kurai, it was the last thing she would ever have off him and she swallowed hard.

"Who is it from?" Yuki enquired curiously as the sunlight gently flooded her abode, illuminating both their faces with its golden light. Struggling to speak she mumbled the words;

"It's... from Kurai" Yuki's eyes widened when she spoke of whom sent the package. Wasn't Kurai still here? He was sure that both him and Tohru planned on making a fresh start together so none of this made much sense to him. Tohru looked away from her companion and began reading the words that scarred the page as her hands trembled.

* * *

><p><em>Dear beloved Tohru,<em>

_ I know you will be reading this wanting so many answers and the only answer that I can give you is that I am sorry. I could not forgive myself for taking you away from the people who care so much about you just to satisfy my own selfish needs. You need to be surrounded by people who will look after you and make you happy and I am afraid I cannot do that. As you know my time here is very limited and the short time I have spent with you has been the best moments of my life which I shall never forget._

_ Please, try to forgive my actions. I never intended for you to be upset to my leaving. I have done this for you, Tohru. I want you to live a normal and carefree life, not having to worry if I am going to be hurt or if people are going to kill me. You do not deserve that, you deserve to be happy. Though you may feel sad right now please don't, time will pass and someone better than I will make you happier and give you what I could not._

_ I will however always love you and as the half Kitsune I am I have pledged my heart only to you. No-one else in this universe will have my affections and if ever you feel alone or feel like giving up, don't. No matter where you are I am always here beside you. You are one very special girl and you have changed my life for the better, you opened my eyes and showed me that I am not a wretched monster. I am free, I am unique and I am Kurai so I will live that life and live the way you showed me. I also want the Sohma's to know I would never hate them even after everything they have put me through. They will have my forgiveness as a parting gift._

_ I also want to thank Yuki for giving me the chance to prove I was not how the others portrayed me to be as. He is a genuine guy and he will look after you, just like Kyo will. He loves you so much Tohru, probably more than anyone in the entire world and you can rely on him. Please, promise me you will be happy even if I am not around. I will always miss you no matter what and you will always be in my heart._

_ Well, I think I have rambled enough and once again I am so sorry for doing this to you Tohru. I love you so much and that is the reason for my actions. I hope that my parting gift will give you some form of comfort in your days of need. I will never see you again but my heart will only ever beat for you, my love._

_ Your one and only_

_ Kurai xxxxxxxxxx_

* * *

><p>Her body trembled as she read the last words and tears splashed down from her eyes onto the paper. He was really gone and he was never going to come back for her. Even though he said he left for her in her own head she didn't think like that. Kurai was her world and she wanted to tackle all his problems together but he would not even allow her to do that. As she took one final look at the paper she noticed something glistening in the package. Slowly a trembling hand reached for it and lifted the item out of the package. It's pure white orbs glistened as the sun reflected off them. It was none other than Kurai's necklace that he wore to keep himself from transforming, the necklace that held his entire lifeforce.<p>

"Oh... Kurai!" She screamed out in pain, holding the necklace close to her chest as she cried loudly. Yuki witnessed her pain and all he could do was hold her close to him as she cried for her love. Her heart crumbling away inside her chest as the beads rested against the place it rested, trying to comfort in some form. As the sunlight continued to flood the room Yuki held her, rocking her backwards and forwards like a child, trying to calm her down. Holding the beads tightly she knew this was the only thing she had left of Kurai, the thing that was the closest thing to his heart. He gave it to her yet he would not accept hers. He would always be the love of her life, no matter how much time passed.

_Where are you now? Are you lost? Will I find you again? Are you alone? Are you afraid? Are you searching for me? Why did you go? I had to stay. Now I'm reaching for you. Will you wait? Will you wait? Will I see you again?_

**The End**


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